German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Monday he was cautiously optimistic over the U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland.
"we can not look (at the meeting) with baseless optimism, but with some hope ..." said Steinmeier after meeting with Palestinian Tourism Minister Khuloud Daibes and Economics Minister Kamal Hassouneh in Berlin.
"The follow-up process after the conference will be decisive," he said before departing for the United States for the peace conference.
Steinmeier, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries, stressed the need to take measures to strengthen the Palestinian economy in parallel with the political peace process.
Daibes said the situation in Palestine "appears much better" than it was when she met Steinmeier in Bethlehem in April, just three weeks after the formation of the Palestinian national unity government.
Still, no immediate results were expected during the political process, she said.
The U.S.-hosted peace conference, scheduled to begin on Tuesday in Annapolis near Washington, is expected to formally launch Middle East peace talks.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article