European foreign policy chief Javier Solana conferred Sunday with Jordanian Foreign Minister Hani Mulki on the latest developments in the region, particularly the situations in Iraq and the Palestinian territories, officials said. Solana, who arrived earlier on the first leg of a Middle East tour, is due to meet with King Abdullah later in the day for talks expected to focus on the prospects of resuming the Palestinian- Israeli peace negotiations after Sunday's presidential election. The two men were also expected to appraise the situation in Iraq in the run-up to the controversial general elections scheduled for January 30, diplomats said. Solana is due to fly to Ramallah later in the day for a meeting with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who stands the best chance of succeeding the late Yasser Arafat as head of the Palestinian Authority. The E.U. foreign policy chief is scheduled to visit Egypt on Tuesday and Israel on Thursday.
