The Minister for Foreign Affairs has been sharply criticised by opposition parties over what they claimed was a "weak-willed" and "disgraceful" response to the US policy shift on the Middle East.
The Labour spokesman on Foreign Affairs, Mr Michael D. Higgins, said the Minister's "ambiguous" statement represented "a disgraceful abandonment of the Road Map".
"I call on him now to indicate the Irish Government's position and to give a lead to the EU and the international community in rejecting this unilateral arrogance," Mr Higgins said.
The Sinn Féin Spokesman, Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh, said: "Brian Cowen's weak-willed response ... is not only regrettable but actually serves to further undermine the quartet's Road Map.
"By failing to issue even the faintest reprimand he is effectively endorsing the US policy shift which not only jeopardises the prospect of a negotiated settlement but also lends unacceptable legitimacy to Israel's continued illegal occupation of Palestine."
He continued: "These confused and mixed messages from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs do not reflect the overwhelming views of the Irish people and I would question whether they actually represent the views of the EU for whom Minister Cowen is speaking under the auspices of the EU Presidency."
The Fine Gael Spokesman, Mr Gay Mitchell, said: "Minister Cowen should ensure that the upcoming informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, taking place in Tullamore over the coming days, takes time to discuss these developments as a matter of priority.
"The EU Foreign Ministers attending, each representing a sovereign State within the European Union, should state clearly and openly whether they approve of the actions of the US administration in this regard. As friends of the United States, we should not be afraid to express ourselves with candour when required."
In a statement on behalf of the European Council issued late on Wednesday night, Mr Cowen welcomed what he called "President Bush's reaffirmation of the United States' commitment to the Road Map and a two-state solution including a viable, contiguous, sovereign and independent Palestinian State."
The Minister recalled the conclusions of the European Council of March 25th-26th which indicated that an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip could represent a significant step towards the implementation of the Road Map, "if carried out in accordance with certain conditions identified in the European Council conclusions".
The Minister "agreed with the emphasis by President Bush that final status issues must be negotiated and agreed between the two parties".
He welcomed "President Bush's assertion that secure and recognised borders should emerge from negotiations between the parties in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.
Mr Cowen also recalled the established position of the European Union, restated by the European Council of March 25th-26th, "that the European Union will not recognise any change to the pre-1967 borders other than those arrived at by agreement between the parties".
The Minister "noted that the Road Map states that a final and comprehensive permanent status agreement that ends the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must include an agreed, just, fair and realistic solution to the refugee issue".
Mr Cowen said he would invite EU Foreign Ministers to assess the outcome of the Washington meeting in greater detail during their informal meeting in Tullamore today.
The Irish Anti-War Movement said in a statement that, "Brian Cowen's welcome for the Bush position on behalf of the EU is extremely alarming. It is a further example of this Government acting as a lapdog for the Bush administration."
The IAWM said it was organising a protest at the US Embassy in Dublin on Monday.