Chances for peace in the Middle East are better than at any time in the past 15 years, but Israeli settlements remain an obstacle, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Friday, dpa reported. "A solution has to be found ... but a solution will not be found as long as the settlements continue to be expanded, Steinmeier told foreign journalists in Berlin. The minister said he was encouraged by Israel's "careful acceptance" of a two-state solution, adding the Jewish state needed guarantees of security from its neighbours, particularly the Palestinians. Steinmeier, who earlier this week returned from a visit to the region, his 14th since taking office in 2005, urged other states in the Middle East to play a role in the peace process. A "historic window" was open he said, and if the states involved held back for "tactical reasons" the opportunity could be lost. The minister was referring to Syria, among other countries, which he visited on Tuesday and met with President Hafez al-Assad. However, the two leaders were unable to come to agreement about a resumption of Israeli-Syrian contacts, which were suspended after Israel's military assault on the Gaza Strip earlier this year.
