U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the crisis in the Middle East.

Rice, who had just finished a four-day visit through the Middle East region, said she found the parties in the region "very desirous of extending the road map,"

"The whole region looks for a way to accelerate progress," she said.

Merkel, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said the European Union was ready to work with other states to revive the Mideast peace process.

Merkel has made a revival of the Mideast peace process as one of the key goals during Germany's six-month EU presidency.

On Wednesday, Rice said the Mideast "quartet" of the European Union, Russia, the U.N. and the U.S was likely to meet early next month.

Speaking after meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank- Walter Steinmeier in Berlin, Rice said she looks forward to the meeting, which could be held in Washington, to "re-energize the quartet."

Rice arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for a short stay before flying to London to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Source: Xinhua