The president of the EU parliament says a unilateral Palestinian move toward statehood could be "dangerous."

Frustrated by a long-standing impasse in peace talks with Israel, the Palestinians have mounted a campaign for international recognition at the U.N. General Assembly in September.

European support would be critical, but EU parliament chief Jerzy Buzek sounded cool to the idea on Tuesday.

Speaking in Ramallah, Buzek said he "understood" the Palestinian position but added it could complicate peace efforts.

He said achieving peace through negotiations would be "excellent, but unilateral declaration could be sometimes even dangerous."

Israel has denounced the move and has urged the Palestinians to return to peace negotiations instead.