By Daisy Ayliffe - 16th July 2006
Violence raging in the Middle East is set to dominate Monday's meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Over the weekend Israel declared a civil defence emergency across the north of the country following a Hizbullah attack.
More than 130 Lebanese have died since clashes with Israel began last week.
“The EU has condemned unreservedly the taking of two Israeli soldiers by Hizbullah,” EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in a statement on Friday.
“Of course Israel has the right to self-defence, but it should use its force in a way which….corresponds to international humanitarian law.”
The crisis has threatened to split western leaders - with Russia and France both criticising Israel’s “disproportionate use of force”, while the US and UK have underlined Hizbullah’s responsibility in prompting the attacks.
On Sunday G8 leaders meeting in St Petersburg blamed Hizbullah extremists for the surge in violence - but they stopped short of demanding an immediate ceasefire from Israel.
On Sunday EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana arrived in Beirut for meetings with the Lebanese prime minster Fouad Siniora.
Other key issues will be on the agenda at Monday's Brussels gathering.
The troubled Kosovo dossier will be on the table and before lunch EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn will present his latest report on progress.
But with talks on the provinces future progressing slowly, officials are set to express concern that key deadlines are slipping.
In the margins there will be a statement on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress in ongoing Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) talks.
A key announcement on Serbia’s EU future is also expected on Monday evening.
Brussels has said SAA talks could restart if Belgrade proves it is doing its best to catch the war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic.
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