European Union foreign ministers kicked off a two-day meeting in Sopot, Poland, Friday to discuss a variety of common topics, including the Middle East peace process and sanctions against Syria.
The 27 EU member nations are looking at taking a unified position on Palestinian statehood in a United Nations vote later this month. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who backs an independent Palestinian state, urged the EU to reach a consensus so it can "speak with a single voice."
Though Sarkozy's position is backed by a number of member states, such a consensus may be difficult to achieve. The United States has said it would veto the Palestinians' U.N. bid, and both Germany and Italy oppose the move, calling instead for a return to Arab-Israeli peace talks.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the European nations are united in their desire to restart the peace process. She says the eventual goal is a two-state solution, in which a secure, stable Israel exists side-by-side with a secure, stable Palestinian state.
The meeting also is focusing on ways to stop the violence in Syria. In a statement Friday, the EU said it was imposing an embargo on Syrian oil imports, which will cost President Bashar al-Assad's government millions of dollars every day in money it earns selling oil to the EU.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
