European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton welcomed US President Barack Obama statement that that the borders of Israel and Palestine "should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps and secure and recognised borders for both sides.
Obama made the statement on Thursday in a speech at the State Department in Washington.
“Our common goal remains a just and lasting resolution, with the State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security,” Ashton said in a statement.
“We will do whatever is possible, working with our Quartet partners, to help both parties choose the path of peace and engage in successful negotiations.
The US position is in line with the EU policy, as formally stated by EU Foreign Ministers in December. "The EU will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties. This could include agreed territorial swaps," the EU then said.