RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday on the sidelines of a UN summit, the PA's official Wafa news agency reported.

The report said the meeting in New York was attended by PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat, senior Abbas aides Nabil Abu Rudeina and Akram Haniyeh, and PLO ambassador Maen Areikat.

Abbas was in New York for the 67th General Assembly of the United Nations, where he plans to seek an upgrade to Palestine's status at the world body.

Also Wednesday Abbas met with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Ashton's representative said that during the discussion she reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the creation of a "sovereign, independent, democratic and viable State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security with Israel."

A statement said the EU was "determined to bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and believes that substantive negotiations aiming at a comprehensive solution are the best way forward. Ending the conflict is a fundamental interest of the EU as well as of the parties themselves and the wider region."

Abbas and Ashton also discussed Palestinian institution-building and the economic situation of the Palestinian Authority, the statement said. Ashton repeated her call to all the donors to step in and help the PA to overcome the financial and economic crisis and to continue with the building of state institutions.