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SOPOT, Poland (Reuters) - European Union governments sought a common approach on Friday to a possible Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations this month but deep policy differences looked set to undermine the efforts.
Austria's Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said one solution could be for the EU to propose its own resolution to the U.N. on the sensitive issue but other diplomats said privately that several EU capitals opposed the idea.
Speaking to reporters at a seaside resort in Poland, where EU foreign ministers met for two days of informal talks, Spindelegger said the bloc could use its previous statements on the Middle East as a basis for a common view.
"So far the positions in the EU are very divergent," Spindelegger told reporters. "I hope that we, as Europe, can send a signal ... and phrase a text which eventually might be brought before the (U.N.) assembly."
With peace talks with Israel frozen, the Palestinians have vowed to seek full U.N. membership for a state in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital, during the assembly's next General Assembly in September.
The bid has little chance of success because of opposition from the United States which has said it would veto it at the Security Council.
A veto would prevent a vote from being held at the General Assembly but the Palestinians may seek an upgrade of their status instead which would bring the issue up for discussion at the forum.
As well aggravating tensions in the Middle East, for the EU, a vote at the U.N. could be deeply embarrassing, if members of the 27-state bloc split into opposing camps, with some backing Palestinian efforts and others opposing them
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