Foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) met on Monday for discussions on the escalating violence in the Middle East, Iran's nuclear issue and the Western Balkans.

The ministers will be briefed by EU foreign policy and security chief Javier Solana, who has just completed a whirlwind visit to the Middle East to assess the situation following Israel's attacks on Lebanon.

The EU has condemned the capture and killing of Israeli soldiers by Lebanese Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah, but has refrained from condemning Israel for its attacks on Lebanon, in which civilians have been killed and infrastructure damaged.

A European Commission official has indicated that the EU needs to have good relations with Israel to maintain its influence in the region.

Palestinians receive EU money, but Israel is a different player, said the official on condition of anonymity.

Another issue on the agenda would be Iran's nuclear issue. Solana is expected to brief the foreign ministers on his talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and his Wednesday meeting with representatives of Britain, France, Germany -- the three countries which had been in talks with Iran on behalf of the EU -- and officials of the United States, Russia and China.

The six countries drew up a nuclear package for Iran in early June, which included political, economic and nuclear technology incentives as well as punishments should Iran reject the incentives.

The Wednesday meeting in Paris decided to bring the issue back to the UN Security Council. But the EU foreign ministers have to react to Iran's latest response to the package.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters in Tehran on Sunday that the package provided an acceptable basis for talks.

"Now is an appropriate opportunity for Iran and Europe to enter detailed negotiations," he said. "Sending the dossier to the UN Security Council means blocking and rejecting talks."

The EU foreign ministers will also discuss a wide range of issues in relation to the Western Balkans.

On the issue of Kosovo, the foreign ministers will meet UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari to learn about the latest developments in Kosovo's status talks.

The Serbian province has been under UN administration since NATO forces drove the Serbian army out in 1999. The final status of the province is now being negotiated under the auspices of the UN.

While the future status of Kosovo depends on Ahtisaari's work, the EU is seeking a bigger role in "post-status" Kosovo, said another commission official.

The EU says Kosovo could join the bloc but has demanded that the Serbian province first advance on the implementation of standards -- both those of the UN and EU.

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica is expected to present a "robust action plan" to the EU foreign ministers on Monday for cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

The EU is seen to be softening its stance on the resumption of Stability and Association Agreement (SAA) talks with Serbia, which were suspended in May after Belgrade failed to arrest and hand over former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic.

The SAA talks are the first step for Western Balkan states to join the EU.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has said the SAA talks could be immediately restarted if Serbia achieved "full cooperation" with the tribunal. He did not elaborate, however, on the definition of "full cooperation." A commission official refused to say whether or not it meant the arrest and handing over of Mladic.

The foreign ministers will also discuss the Doha round of negotiations of the World Trade Organization, with an intention to conclude the round by the end of the year.

Another issue on the agenda would be Sudan's Darfur region. The ministers are expected to make preparations for an international conference on Darfur on Tuesday.

Source: Xinhua