Stockholm, September 04, SPA -- The European Union expects Israel to announce a freeze of its settlement activity in the Palestinian territoriesahead of key talks in New York later this month, Italian ForeignMinister Franco Frattini said Friday according to dpa. "We are optimistic that Israel will accept a reasonable solutionon the freezing of settlements," Frattini said on the sidelines of aninformal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Stockholm. The announcement of a temporary or permanent freeze is seen as anecessary precondition for possible face-to-face talks on thesidelines of the upcoming UN Security Council meeting betweenUS President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuand Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The freeze "is the only pre-condition to re-start negotiations"between Israel and the Palestinians, Frattini said. Frattini's comments were echoed by his French counterpart, BernardKouchner. "The freezing of settlements does not solve all of the problems,but it would allow the resumptions of negotiations," Kouchner said. During their informal talks in Stockholm, EU foreign ministersunanimously criticized Israel's latest plans to approve theconstruction of hundreds of new apartments in West Bank settlementsbefore accepting US and Palestinian demands for a freeze.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/697904