Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that
the European Union is ready to make a contribution towards resolving
the Middle East conflict.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice, the chancellor said there appeared to be some movement in the
conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Rice said Wednesday evening that the Mideast Quartet comprised of
Russia, the United States, the UN and the European Union was likely
to meet early next month in a bid to kickstart Middle East peace
talks.
Merkel said Germany would take part in this meeting in its
capacity as president of the EU.
Rice, who met Wednesday with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier, said she planned to brief the chancellor on her latest
tour of the Middle East, which took her to Israel, Jordan, the
Palestinian territories, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Speaking after talks with Steinmeier, Rice described the quartet
as 'the guardian' of international efforts to achieve peace between
Israel and the Palestinians.
Rice added that the quartet would meet in Washington during the
week beginning January 29, probably on February 1 or 2.
After her talks with Merkel, the US Secretary of State planned to
head to London to brief British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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