"PACE President Rene van der Linden is to make an official visit to the Middle East from 18-24 August 2007 with the aim of encouraging opportunities presented by the current situation to achieve sustainable peace in the region and to promote inter-religious dialogue," PACE said on its Web site.
The official will visit Jordan (18-20 August), Israel (20-22 August) and the Palestinian Territories (23-24 August).
Van der Linden will meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan and the country's premier, and is also scheduled to hold talks with Israeli President Simon Peres and Knesset (parliament) Speaker Dalia Itzik, the first woman to hold the post.
While staying in the troubled Palestinian territories, the PACE head will meet with the country's President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and other officials.
President Abbas, who now controls only the West Bank, dismissed the Hamas-led government, and his new emergency Cabinet, led by the premier, enjoys the backing of most Western nations and of the more moderate Arab states.
Van der Linden's visit is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Israeli Knesset's observer status with the Assembly.
