US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that the
Mideast "quartet" of the European Union, Russia, the United Nations
and the United States was likely to meet early next month in a move
to revive the Middle East peace talks.
Speaking after meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier in Berlin, Rice said she looks forward to the meeting,
which could be held in Washington, to "re-energize the
quartet."
Steinmeier, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said
it was the right time for a meeting of the quartet.
It would help resolve the Middle East crisis if the
international community could once again speak with one voice, he
said.
Rice arrived in Berlin after a four-day visit through the Middle
East region. She will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel on
Thursday before flying to Britain.
(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2007)
