Brussels, 30/08/2001 (Agence Europe) - Before returning to Brussels, on Wednesday, for the EU/China Summit, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Policy, Javier Solana, will have begun the week with a trip to the Middle East where he will once more plead in favour of a resumption of the dialogue following the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Beit Jala, withdrawal secured by joint action by EU diplomats (with interventions by its special envoy, Mr. Moritanos, and telephone calls from Messrs. Solana and Michel to Messrs. Arafat and Perez) and American diplomats.
In addition, in the context of the initiative he announced to the EP on Tuesday (see EUROPE of 29 August, p.2), Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel sent a brief note to his Russian and American counterparts Igor Ivanov and Colin Powell setting out proposals for actions to break the deadlock and recreate a climate of trust, favourable to the resumption of talks.