Germany chancellor to start regional tour
Regional-Germany, Politics, 10/27/2000

The German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder tomorrow started a tour which will last for five days to the Middle east in which he will propose the European Union EU contribution to resuming the peace process.

A high ranking official at the German government said that the German Chancellor will visit five countries in the region which are Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Syria and Lebanon, where the first German chancellor heads for the first time, in addition to the Palestinian self-rule territories to maintain a solidarity initiative in these critical times.

Jezila Campf Sikora, Germany's ambassadress in Lebanon, said that the Schroeder is due to visit Beirut on Sunday. Following a meeting yesterday foreign ministry advisor Ahmed Shammat, she said that Schroeder is to discuss with the Lebanese officials bilateral issues and the peace process in this phase and that this visit is a sign of profound friendship between Lebanon and Germany, negating her knowledge with any German initiative concerning the exchange of Lebanese and Israeli captives.

Meantime, among the objectives of Schroeder's visit, which is backed by the EU and the US White House, to back the calls to stop violent confrontation continued between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the occupied territories.

A source close to the German Chancellery noted that Schroeder who will hold talks with heads and premiers of countries will also visit the secretary general of the Arab league AL Ismat Abdul Miguid. He is not planning to propose himself as a mediator a role played by the US.

The German source added that Schroeder, on the other hand, wants to ask the officials with whom he will be meeting on their expectations about the EU whose contributions is greatly increasing.

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