Cairo -
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana arrived in Egypt late Tuesday for talks with Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit and Arab League Chief Amr Mussa regarding the region's dormant peace process. On a multi-leg tour in the region, Solana is holding preparatory talks ahead of a major US-sponsored international conference on
Middle East peace, due in Washington this autumn.
The much-anticipated parley was called for by US President George W Bush.
Sources in Egypt's presidential office said that the EU envoy is expected to hold dinner talks with Mussa Tuesday night. Wider discussions will follow on Wednesday, where Solana and Abul-Gheit will exchange points of view.
A top priority during the two-day visit to Egypt is to condense efforts to mobilize Arab-Israeli peace talks, bringing the Palestinians and Israelis back to the negotiating table and jump- starting a stagnant and problematic peace process.
Solana held similar talks in Amman on Monday, where the Jordanians had suggested that the proposed conference should lead to "real progress on the Palestinian track and the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state within a specific period of time."
So far, Solana's statements had signaled hope. During his Sunday's visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah, Solana predicted that the coming months would witness a series of important forums in which the
peace process will be discussed.
He had also said that that the Middle East Quartet, which comprises the United States, Russia, the EU and the United Nations, will meet with members of the Arab League in December.
