Jan 18, 2007, 9:40 GMT
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.
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