European foreign policy chief Javier Solana conferred with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Sunday, who underscored the "importance of the European Union's role" in the establishment of peace between Israel and the Palestinians, according to a royal court statement. "The monarch underlined the importance of the EU role in the maintenance of security and stability in the Middle East and the establishment of peace between the Palestinians and Israel, particularly in the coming months," the statement said, according to DPA. King Abdullah II also warned that Israel's continued building of settlements in the Palestinian Territories, particularly East Jerusalem, "will derail peace efforts". He urged the EU to help the Palestinians "rebuild their institutions and improve their standard of living." Solana also held separate talks with the Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi and Foreign Minister Salah Bashir. The European foreign policy chief arrived in Amman on Saturday night in the course of a Middle East tour which also took him to Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Egypt.
