EU foreign ministers delayed a decision on the fate of 13 Palestinians now staying in Cyprus after the end of the siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity last Friday, an EU official said.
Instead they instructed their ambassadors to the European Union to come up with a solution "by the end of this week" on taking in the 13, who are regarded by Israel as “terrorists,” a Spanish EU presidency spokeswoman was quoted as saying by AFP.
During a regular monthly foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, six of the 15 EU member states indicated they could accept some of the Palestinians, the spokeswoman said -- Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
The ambassadors will be responsible for sorting out the status that the 13 would have in the European Union, the "modalities" for receiving them, and their distribution between the host countries, the spokeswoman said.
Cyprus had expected to see them move on to their final destination by Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides said in Nicosia the country had been reassured by the EU the Palestinians will be taken in by their member states, but confirmed arrangements would take a few days longer than expected.
(Albawaba.com)
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