The European Union said it was "pessimistic" about what could be achieved towards Middle East peace during talks in Stockholm on Monday and Tuesday with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres.
The meetings are taking place in Sweden because it currently holds the six-month rotating EU presidency.
"At present, we're entitled to be pessimistic.It's not a very promising situation," Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson said today, quoted by the TT news agency.
"Without peace (in the Middle East), we will be faced with a crisis of huge political and economic consequences," he added.
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Before meeting Persson, Peres will have talks with his Swedish counterpart, Anna Lindh.
AFP