Six EU countries to take militants

Anti-terrorist police escort one of 13 Palestinian militants from a Royal Air Force Hercules at Larnaca airport in Cyprus

BRUSSELS, Belgium (CNN) -- Six European Union countries will take 13 Palestinian militants, but their status remains to be determined, EU ministers said.

Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Belgium have agreed to take the men "within the course of a week," a Spanish foreign ministry spokesman said.

Still up for discussion, he said, is the exact status of the 13 militants -- whom Israel has called "senior terrorists" -- and how they will be housed.

European Commission President Romano Prodi told reporters that the EU needs more time to work out the militants' precise legal status once they are taken in by various member states.

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"We have taken on this responsibility at a European level. Various EU countries have made themselves available. Now we have to decide how the men will be distributed among these countries as well as their precise legal status," Reuters quoted Prodi as saying.

The 13 left the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Friday, ending a five-week standoff with Israeli troops. They were taken to Cyprus and housed in a hotel until the EU ministers could meet.

Cyprus, a candidate for EU membership, has said it wants the men to leave by Wednesday at the latest.

Asked about this deadline, Prodi said: "It may not even take that long, but the important thing is that we have a political decision."

Under the deal that ended the standoff, Israel said the 13 had the choice of facing trial in Israel on terrorism charges or going into exile.

Palestinian negotiators agreed to allow the 13 to go abroad but stopped short of calling them exiles. Another 26 Palestinians wanted by Israel were sent to Gaza, and about 85 others, not wanted by Israel, were freed.

The Middle East crisis dominated Monday's EU talks, with several ministers expressing concern about a decision by Israel's ruling Likud party to oppose the future establishment of a Palestinian state.

"There is widespread recognition across the Middle East including in Israel that the only viable and safe solution (to the conflict)...is a two-state solution, a secure state of Israel alongside a viable and democratic state of Palestine," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said: "It is very sad when the internal politics of a political party can interfere in the search for peace."

But Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh played down the Likud vote: "The decision by Likud does not mean there won't be a Palestinian state. Sharon's room for manoeuvre will be limited, but he is bound by international agreements to accept a Palestinian state."

-- CNN correspondent Chris Burns contributed to this report.