Brussels - The European Union is not yet prepared to back Palestinian calls for a unilateral declaration of independence, the bloc's top foreign policy officials said Tuesday.

"We have said previously that we would be ready to recognize a Palestinian State, but the conditions are not there yet," said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt on behalf of the EU's presidency.

According to Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, any discussions on Palestinian independence would have to take place "at the appropriate time.

"I don't think today is the moment to talk about that," Solana said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign and defence ministers in Brussels.

EU officials were reacting to reports out of Ramallah suggesting that the Palestinian Authority was about to declare unilateral independence, despite Israeli warnings that this would breach existing agreements with the Palestinians and nullify Israel's obligations under those accords.

The Palestinian move was seen in Brussels as an act of frustration at the stalled peace process.

"I wouldn't call it desperation, but it is clearly an act born by a very difficult situation, where they don't see any road ahead," Bildt said.

While noting that the EU would not be able to recognize an independent Palestinian state that does not yet exist, the Swedish minister expressed understanding at the Palestinians' predicament.

"The situation in Gaza has not improved, there is tension building up in East Jerusalem, there are demolitions that we are very worried about, and there is the inability to get talks going," Bildt said.

The minister also criticized Israel's continued settlement activity in Palestinian territory, but said EU ministers would Tuesday discuss "other steps to demonstrate our support for the Palestinians aspirations more clearly than we have done so far".

According to Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU's external affairs commissioner, efforts should continue to focus on helping "the Americans bring both sides to the (negotiating) table."

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Monday had called on the EU to "back the Palestinian decision by expressing its commitment to international law to end the Israeli occupation and save the two- state solution." (dpa)