European Union:EU foreign ministers have agreed to increase contact with members of the new Palestinian Authority but have ruled out restoring full financial aid or talking to ministers from Islamic group Hamas.
At an informal meeting in Bremen, the ministers also asked officials to prepare lists of possible sanctions to be placed on Sudan if a last-chance initiative to discuss the Darfur crisis with the Khartoum government fails.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the EU saw the new Palestinian unity government as a window of opportunity to advance the Middle East peace process. EU officials were prepared to deal with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, foreign minister Ziad Abu Amr and finance minister Salaam Fayyad.
"These are old friends whom we know well," Mr Solana said. "We will not refuse contact with those in the government who meet the international expectations of the Middle East quartet."
The so-called quartet of the US, Russia, the EU and the UN have agreed not to deal directly with members of Hamas until it renounces violence, recognises Israel's right to exist and adheres to previous peace agreements.
Luxembourg's foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, explained the decision: "If we had no contact with the unity government now, that would be a fatal political mistake."
Ministers also discussed a new plan for increasing aid to build up Palestinian infrastructure.
Officials said the EU was "nearly at the end of the line" over Darfur. More than 200,000 people have been killed and more than two million displaced in four years of fighting between rebels and a pro-government Arab militia accused of atrocities against ethnic African civilians.
The EU has an arms embargo on Sudan and visa bans on a number of Sudanese officials.
Minister of State Conor Lenihan, responsible for overseas development assistance, said more wide-ranging sanctions were conceivable, including trade embargoes on Sudanese companies and a freeze on regime assets.
British and German officials have raised the prospect of increased sanctions in recent days in light of what they call the "intolerable" situation in Darfur.
Further measures at the UN have been stymied by China, one of Sudan's most important trading partners.
Officials said sanctions were likely to be discussed at the EU's next foreign minister meeting on April 23rd.