RAMALLAH, Feb. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Palestinian official with Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday that the World Bank has approved 60 million U.S. dollars financial aides to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

    Jihad Al-Wazeer, under secretary of Palestinian Ministry of Finance, told reporters that the World Bank has determined to transfer 48 million dollars as a down payment to the treasury of the PNA.

    He said that the approval came after the World Bank and the donor countries got the guarantee of the ministry on cashing its employee's salaries after a series of negotiations.    

    Meanwhile, European Union (EU) foreign policy Chief Javier Solana asserted earlier that the EU aides to the Palestinian people would continue and the EU accepts the Palestinian democratic choice.

    During a visit to Riyadh recently, Solana said that the EU would demand the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), winner of the Jan. 25 Palestinian parliamentary election, to renounce violence and recognize Israel within three months.

    Solana, who started his Middle East trip from the Gulf countries, is also paying visits to Jordan, Cairo, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

    Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department also announced that it would reconsider its threat to cut off aid to the Palestinians in one or two weeks.

    Washington would not clarify its attitude on the aides until the new Palestinian cabinet was formed with definite political program, a spokesman of the U.S. State Department said.  

    The U.S. had threatened to cut off aid to the PNA following Hamas' landslide victory in the Jan. 25 Palestinian parliamentary election, in an attempt to force Hamas to renounce violence, recognize Israel and all agreements signed with Israel.  Enditem