Germany's Fischer Returns from Mideast Peace Tour

On Tuesday, Fischer met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, after previously meeting with the leaders of Syria and Lebanon at the beginning of the week to garner Arab support for peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians.

While in Cairo, he called on the radical group Hamas to implement a “lasting ceasefire” to help move towards implementing the road map unveiled by United States President George Bush in April. The plan foresees the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005 in exchange for peaceful co-existence with Israel.

“The fact that the international community -- in particular the USA and Europe -- are so completely engaged can really add momentum towards a lasting solution to the Middle East conflict between Israel and it's Arab neighbors," Fischer said.

However, renewed violence and a number of controversial issues threaten to derail the road map. The plan is being shepherded by a group know as the Quartet – which is made up of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.

A neutral broker

Although Fischer downplayed expectations for his four-day visit to the troubled region, his reputation as an neutral broker had raised some hopes for a breakthrough. He suggested the prospect of a constructive role both Syria and Lebanon could play in the peace process.

Although much of recent U.S. focus has been simply on getting Israelis and Palestinians talking again, both Syria and Lebanon are considered key to the region's final stability. Syria has been demanding the return of the Golan Heights which Israel captured from it in 1967. Lebanon is the home of Hizbollah guerillas who helped drive Israel out of south Lebanon three years ago and who the U.S. considers a terrorist group.

Both countries are pushing for a second road map that better addresses their demands against Israel. Since Fischer has already visited both Syria and Lebanon on three previous occasions, he would seem the perfect candidate to help cajole the countries toward peace.

“I know all involved from hours of private talks and telephone calls to a degree like no other current foreign minister,” Fischer recently told Spiegel magazine.

During his visit to the region he listed the contributions the European Union had made to the peace process: "There never would have been a reform of the Palestinian Authority, or Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas, if the Europeans hadn't put in a massive effort. We filled the gap after Camp David, we developed the road map and pushed it forward via the Quartet. Those are all considerable contributions."

But Fischer also made clear that although Europe’s role was “important”, it could be nothing more than supporting one to the United States.

“However we can help, we will, but help is all we can do. The main players are others,” he said.

But if the United States chooses to apply pressure on Israel to stick to the road map, Fischer’s cachet with the Arab world is likely to become ever more important in the coming months.