The conditional readiness to recognise a Palestinian state by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was ''a half-step forward' towards peace, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on Monday.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers, Frattini observed that the address Netanyahu made Sunday ''was positive in that he expressed his readiness to negotiate immediately with the Palestinians; worrisome for the kind of pre-condition he set on the status of Jerusalem, which is a topic of discussion; and encouraging for his desire for a regional peace with Arab countries''.
''There were certainly steps forward which we must encourage,'' Frattini said, adding that on Monday he will attend a meeting of the EU-Israel association council and before that meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
According to Frattini, it was ''very positive'' that Israel now seeks an overall regional approach to negotiations for peace and stability, with the involvement of Arab nations''.
However, he added, there was ''cause for concern'' over ''the sort of pre-condition imposed on the status of Jerusalem''.
Turning his attention to the illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, Frattini stressed how Netanyahu spoke of ''a natural growth for the settlements, not of new settlements''.
