Ramallah - The Palestinian Authority welcomed Saturday a European Union statement on the Middle East conflict, considering it pressure on Israel to continue on the peace track with the Palestinians.

In a statement published on the official news agency Wafa, the spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, welcomed the EU position saying it encouraged progress in the peace process.

"Linking upgrading EU relations with Israel to recognition of the two-state solution will push forward the peace process," said Abu Rudeineh.

The EU said on Friday that it will not upgrade ties with Israel if the new right-wing Israeli government expected to be formed next week does not accept the two-state solution.

The Palestinians said they would not resume peace talks with Israel without an explicit Israeli recognition of the two-state solution and a halt to all settlement activities. (dpa)