24 July 2007
The European Union has said it is ready to play an ‘active role’ in an international Middle-East peace conference proposed by the United States and backed by the Mideast Quartet of peace mediators in Lisbon last week. EU foreign ministers said in a statement issued after their meeting in Brussels on Monday that the EU ”expects the Quartet to participate in the international meeting proposed by President Bush and stands ready to play an active role.” EU ministers also welcomed the appointment of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as the new Middle East envoy of the Quartet. Blair is currently on his first official visit to the region.
