EU deal on Palestinian militants

Cypriot policemen stand guard on the roof of the hotel where the men are housed

MADRID, Spain -- The European Union has agreed how to distribute 13 Palestinian militants exiled to Europe, the Spanish Foreign Ministry says.

The men, who were holed up in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem during Israel's military offensive, are currently in Cyprus, where they are awaiting relocation to the European Union.

Spain and Italy will each take three of the men, Greece and Ireland will each take two, and Portugal will accept one, the ministry said.

The ministry at first said that Finland would take one of the Palestinians, but after a denial from the Finnish Foreign Ministry, Spain said the man would go to Belgium. One of the men will remain on Cyprus.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO CNN's Chris Burns reports on the meeting over relocation plans for the Palestinians deported in the wake of the Church of the Nativity seige (May 13) Play video   MORE STORIES • Palestinian 13: What happens next?  • EU countries agree to take Bethlehem militants

Some could leave as early as Sunday, the spokesman said. The 13 have been taken in "for humanitarian reasons" for an indefinite time period, the spokesman said.

On Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said the relocation would occur after what he termed an "adequate" legal status for the 13 -- who Israel has called "senior terrorists" -- had been determined.

The 13 militants left the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on May 10, ending a five-week standoff with Israeli troops. They were taken to Cyprus and housed in a hotel until the EU ministers could meet.

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.

"We are working this weekend to solve the problem," Pique said Saturday, speaking on behalf of the 15-nation EU. Spain holds the EU's rotating presidency.

He said that without EU pressure, the church standoff would not have ended as quickly.