03/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - The acting President of the Council of the EU, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, will be visiting the Middle East from 3 to 6 February to explore the options for the European Union to play a positive role in revitalising the Middle East peace process. A German government spokesperson in Berlin announced on Wednesday that Merkel would be visiting Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The German Presidency of the EU is working to arrange a meeting of the Middle East Quartet foreign ministers in the near future. 'We are really confident that such a meeting could be possible in the not too distant future,' explained the spokesperson.