Last night, on C-SPAN, I was watching British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas answering media questions about Tuesday's conference in London. Every now and then the camera would turn to show the audience. The EU's Javier Solana was not only there, he was sitting next to British Foreign Minister Jack Straw.

According to Blair, the conference was a big success. The entire international community came together in support of the Palestinian cause and the creation of a Palestinian state. He said in the years that he had been involved in the Middle East peace process, he had never seen such clarity in what had to be done to achieve peace.

Besides pledging a huge amount of financial aid, the international community pledged to help the Palestinians in the area of security. In other words, a Palestinian state will be created by the international community -- like it or not.

The conference was held on Tuesday. The next day, Abbas' first visit was with the EU's Javier Solana Read about it here. That's because, as did the late Yasser Arafat, Abbas recognizes the hand that feeds him.

As far as some EU leaders are concerned, supporting the Palestinian uprising has proven to be a huge success. Now, in the form of a Palestinian state, the EU's foothold in the region is in sight. Before Solana came along, Europe was always on the outside looking in. Now, Europe is not only involved, Europe is calling the shots. Abbas understands this reality. So, Solana was the first man he wanted to visit.. 

As I've been reporting, the movement toward peace that we're now witnessing in the Middle East is a direct result of Solana's diplomatic skills and foreign policy. It began with the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership for Peace he negotiated between the EU and 12 Mediterranean nations back in 1995. Today it's Solana's European Neighborhood Policy. This is an agreement between 42 nations. It's a revival of the old Roman Empire and a covenant with many.

You see, the reason so many players are now coming to the peace table is because the table is being loaded with all kinds of goodies. And, beginning on January 1, 2007, these goodies will get even better. That's when the EU's next seven-year budget term begins and the EU's new funding instrument will start picking up the tab. Friends, nobody wants to miss that.

Yes indeed, Abbas knows the man to see.