[21/March/2010]

BRUSSELS, March 21 (Saba) -- Foreign Ministers of the 27-member European Union will discuss the chances of resuming the peace talks in the Middle East when they meet in Brussels on Monday, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will brief the ministers on her recent trip to the region, which included Amman, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, as well Jerusalem and Gaza. They will also be briefed by Tony Blair, the international Middle East envoy.

Meanwhile, the EU has cancelled a planned EU-Israel Association Council which was to be held on the sidelines of the EU foreign ministers meeting here Monday, said EU sources.

Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, who already arrived in Brussels, is expected instead to meet a few EU foreign ministers on bilateral level.

The Association of Progressive Jews in Belgium has organised a demonstration against the visit of Lieberman in Brussels Sunday evening.

Analysts here opine that the EU decision to cancel the meeting is aimed at putting pressure on Tel Aviv to change its policy on settlement expansion. Israel has come under criticism from the UN and the US for its recent decision to expand Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet EU President Herman Van Rompuy and other EU officials during his visit to Brussels on Wednesday, according to EU sources.

The EU ministers will also discuss Iran's nuclear dossier, support to quake-stricken Haiti ahead of a 31 March donors' conference in New York and prepare for a summit of EU leaders in Brussels next week.

Saba