EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Tuesday welcomed the "Agreement on Movement and Access" between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

"This is extremely good news," said the two men in a press release, hailing the latest agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the Gaza-Egypt border crossing. Straw was representing the rotating EU presidency.

"This agreement signifies a major breakthrough and we hope that both sides will now make every effort to ensure that the commitments made are now translated into reality," they said.

They said the EU is willing in principle to provide assistance with the operation of crossings at Gaza's borders on the basis of an agreement between the parties.

"We are now undertaking the necessary preparations and planning. With this border control monitoring mission, the EU will significantly reinforce its role in the field of security in the region," they said.

Israel and the Palestinians clinched a long-awaited deal on Tuesday on Gaza border crossings after intense talks brokered by visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Under the agreement, the two sides are to reopen on Nov. 25 under EU surveillance the Rafah crossing on the Gaza border with Egypt, which is Gaza's only link with the outside world not passing through Israel and has been largely closed since the historic withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory on Sept. 12.

Source: Xinhua