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EU ministers to meet on Middle East

BRUSSELS: European Union foreign ministers meet in Luxmbourg on Monday to review policy on the turbulent region and step up pressure on Israel to end its offensive against Hizbollah guerrillas.

The 15 ministers, keen for a greater European role in an area dominated by U.S. diplomacy, will hear a report from the current Italian presidency after last week's trip to the region by Foreign Minister Susanna Agnelli.

Europe, concerned about instability on its borders, has provided funds to underpin the fragile Israeli-Palestinian peace process. But, with the exception of Paris, it finds itself increasingly sidelined on Middle East diplomatic initiatives.

France, which has annoyed some EU states by its go-it-alone Middle East policy, is expected to brief its partners on attempts to arrange a ceasefire and longer-term accord between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas in south Lebanon.

Last week, Irish Foreign Minister Dick Spring, set to take over the EU presidency in July, said France should have shown more "cohesion" with fellow EU members.

Foreign Minister Herve de Charette arrived in Beirut on Sunday for talks with Lebanese officials as a U.S.-French diplomatic campaign gathered momentum.

Officials said de Charette would hold talks with President Elias Hrawi and other officials before heading to south Lebanon to visit a U.N. peacekeepers' base in the village of Qana where Israeli shelling on Thursday killed 101 Lebanese refugees.

Several EU states argue Israel's reaction has been "disportionate" to the threat posed by the Iran-backed Hizbollah fighters and risks spiralling out of control.

Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen said on Friday:

"Developments in the Middle East have gone off the rails and it has become even more urgent to call upon all forces of goodwill to get the peace process back on track," he said.

Sweden, long a supporter of Palestinian rights, says Israel must understand its "right to defend itself is not inexhaustible".

"The limit for what can be tolerated as an answer to the Hizbollah guerrilla attacks has been reached," Foreign Minister Lena Hjelm-Wallen said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher arrived in Israel from Syria on Sunday, but said he still had some way to go in his quest for a ceasefire.

After meeting Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Christopher was due to fly back to Damascus, Israeli officials said.

In Damascus on Saturday, Christopher said Syrian President Hafez al-Assad wanted a "reaffirmation" of a 1993 pact between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hizbollah in which they pledged not to target each other's civilians.

"I think he is in agreement that it should be in writing this time," Christopher said.

Christopher's words suggested Assad wanted no more than a reinstatement of the old agreement. Damascus is seen as holding key influence over Hizbollah whose guerrillas operate with the tacit consent of Syrian troops in Lebanon.

U.S. officials say they want to strengthen the pact with new provisions.

Israel's 11 day offensive, retaliating for rocket attacks, has killed more than 150 people, including 101 refugees who died when Israeli shells hit a U.N. base on Thursday.

The EU ministers will also review their current policy of "critical dialogue" with Iran. Opponents say Tehran has remained obdurate to all overtures, but some states argue influence could be increased if commercial links were pursued.

There will also be discussion of the situation in former Yugoslavia, including a report of a recent visit by Belgian Foreign Minister Eric Derycke.

The ministers are expected to issue a statement stressing the need for elections in Bosnia to go on as planned.-Reuter