Brussels, 06/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - This weekend, the French presidency of the EU repeated that the EU was prepared to play a bigger political role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The French foreign affairs minister and current president of Council of the EU, Bernard Kouchner, declared on Saturday at the end of his meeting with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in Ramallah, that, “If the Israeli and Palestinian protagonists, together with the Americans, at the origin of the process launched at the Annapolis conference ask us, we will reply in the affirmative so that the European Union plays a greater role in the region”. Mr Abbas explained that the Palestinians are requesting an increased political commitment from Europe, “not as alternative to the US but as a complement”. Mr Kouchner said that he was optimistic about the possibility of continuing the peace process with Tzipi Livni, who will probably be the next Israeli prime minister. He said, however, that he was sceptical about the chances of reaching an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of the year. Kouchner stated that he did not know whether, “we will see a Palestinian state by the end of the year but I think that this state is absolutely necessary and a key that guarantees Israel's security”. On Sunday, Mr Kouchner met the main Israeli leaders in Jerusalem, including Ehud Olmert and Ms Livni. He said that he was afraid of Israel attacking Iran to prevent it building an atom bomb, “Israel has always said that it will not wait for the bomb to be built. I think that the Iranians know this. Everyone knows…It is a danger, a possibility” and “we should do everything to avoid it”. (H.B./trans/rh)