BRUSSELS (EJP)---The EU’s foreign affairs chief, British Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission is to make next week her first visit to the Middle East since she was came in office in January.

“I am going to the region with a clear message to encourage all actors to engage in talks that lead us to a comprehensive regional peace,” she said ahead of her trip.

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who is also Vice President of the European Commission, is scheduled to visit Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories from 14-18 March.

She will meet with political leaders, civil society representatives and hold a key note speech in Egypt.

The Middle East, she says, “is a major foreign policy priority for the EU and I am pleased that I can visit the region so early on in my tenure.”

After her visit she will participate in Moscow at the Mideast Quartet Meeting (US, EU, UN, and Russia)

"My visit is a sign of the importance the EU attaches to broad and deep relations with our Mediterranean partners and the Arab World. I am looking forward to visiting the region and engaging with all of the key actors,” she stressed.

“I also want to look at the contribution the EU is making in the region and can make in the future.”

She feels that there is a sense of “urgency” at the moment and a need to make progress on the Arab-Israeli conflict.

She added: “The resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict is a key European interest and the EU, on the basis of its December 2009 Council Conclusions, is determined to step-up its efforts to facilitate the peace process.”

She said she hopes to visit Gaza. “The EU is a major contributor of aid and I want to see for myself how we are spending our money and what kind of impact it has on the ground."

Earlier this week, Israel said that it has authorised Ashton’s visit to the Gaza Strip after she asked the Israeli authorities to facilitate such a visit.

The Israeli foreign ministry said that it "has decided to facilitate their entry to the Gaza Strip in order to allow them to get a first hand impression of humanitarian activities taking place in that area."