Merkel Meets Abbas

Talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos Thursday concluded with German leader pledging stronger European Union efforts in the Middle East peace process under Germany's current EU presidency.

"Europe will put itself into the picture, but it won't be overestimating its role," Merkel told a press conference after her talks with Abbas. She said that Abbas had welcomed the fact that the so-called Mideast quartet of the US, Russia, the UN and the EU was to revive its efforts.

Merkel said her meeting with the Palestinian leader would be followed by talks scheduled in early February in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. She said Abbas had said he hope the peace process would now go forward again, one linked with a time frame.

"We consider ourselves obliged to lead in a supportive manner," Merkel commented and said that the EU would support Abbas' aim to establish a government of national unity. At the same time, she insisted that the firing of rockets against Israel had to be stopped.

Abbas expects much from Germany, EU

"Germany is the head of the EU, so we expect a lot from Germany, especially unilaterally and as chairman of the EU," Abbas said as he arrived for his hour-long meeting with Merkel.

The Palestinian president then went on to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni who expressed shared hopes for peace, with Abbas calling for talks to begin straight away. "The time has come for us ... to make peace a reality," Abbas said. "The Middle East is in dire need of peace. It is up to us to trace the beginning and end of the peace process, the road map is there."

"We are ready, as of now, to start serious negotiations with our Israeli neighbors," he said during a discussion in which he and Livni shared a stage with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres. "The map (to peace) is there, we have all agreed to it. I am convinced we can reach a quick solution."

US-hosted summit aims at restarting talks

The United States is due to host a meeting on February 2 of the diplomatic Quartet, whose 2003 "roadmap" for achieving Palestinian statehood and peace with Israel has languished since its inception.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during a week-long trip to the Middle East and Europe earlier this month that she planned to "accelerate" implementation of the roadmap put forward by the Quartet.

Abbas is expected to meet Rice and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert next month.

Speaking after the Palestinian president, Livni was more circumspect about the timetable for a possible resumption of the road map, even as she stressed the need for both sides to stick to the vision of two states living side by side.

Livni sees viable Palestinian state integral to peace

"The Palestinian state is not an illusion, its feasible, it's there, it's achievable," Livni said. "The establishment of a Palestinian state and homeland for the Palestinians is the answer, the national answer to the Palestinians wherever they are."

At the same time, Livni stressed that Israel would never "allow" a Palestinian state that was "ruled by a terrorist organization."

Abbas and his secular Fatah party are locked in a power struggle with the radical Islamic movement Hamas, which controls the Palestinian government and has refused to recognize Israel.