While Norway was Sunday reported as planning to end the political and economic boycott of the Palestinian government, neighbouring Sweden and Denmark adopted a more cautious stance but welcomed the formation of a unity government, according to dpa. Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg called the formation of the new unity government of rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas a "courageous decision." "We will end all self-imposed restrictions in the political and economic contacts with the Palestinian government," Stoltenberg was Sunday reported as saying by the Aftenposten daily. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt told Swedish radio that Sweden would "carefully review" the members and policies adopted by the new unity government. "Within the EU group we will carefully assess this, but there is no doubt that this represents a breakthrough to something that can be positive," Bildt said. Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller said "we can concede that there has been progress. But we have to state that it has not been big enough," Moller was quoted as telling Danish news agency Ritzau. Denmark was ready to have contacts with Palestinian cabinet members that were not linked to Hamas, Moller added, saying Copenhagen could channel aid to the Palestinian people via ministries that were not headed by a Hamas member. Like Bildt, Moller said the formation of a unity government was positive since it averted a potential bloodbath between Hamas and Fatah.
