EU foreign ministers on Monday welcomed a renewed Arab peace initiative as a "major element" in efforts to revive Middle East talks, according to DPA. "We will continue to be available as partners in the search for peace in the Middle East," said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. German currently holds the presidency of the EU. A two-day Arab Summit in Riyadh in March renewed a 2002 Arab plan to establish normal ties with Israel in exchange for a withdrawal from the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967. Diplomats said the EU was in close contact with four Arab states to hold a meeting in the coming weeks with the Quartet - the EU, US, Russia and the United Nations. EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told reporters the 27-nation bloc was ready to help the Palestinian Administration with technical assistance in areas such as internal audit and control, tax administration and customs. A statement issued by EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg also said a temporary international aid programme for Palestinians was being extended for a further three months to ease the humanitarian crisis in the territories. The EU also called on Israel to release millions of dollars worth of Palestinian tax and customs revenues. "This would really be the most important thing" since access to the money would ease "the huge deficit" in Palestinian finances, said Ferrero-Waldner.
