Peace process

Having kicked off the four-day trip in Rome, Lieberman said that Italy could play a "decisive role" in improving relations between Israel and "moderate" Arab states. He made the remarks during a joint news conference with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.

Lieberman, who has a reputation as a hardliner, has in the past expressed doubts that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be resolved through the creation of two separate, sovereign states.

"Israel isn't looking for slogans, but for concrete results," Lieberman said replying to a question on the "two-state solution" backed by the US and the European Union.

He then listed concessions made by previous Israeli governments that had yielded "no results," including former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip.

"The (peace) process is standing still," Lieberman said.

European hopes

For his part, Frattini expressed Italy's "strong hope" that peace would remain the "clear objective" for both Palestinians and Israelis.

Peace must be achieved through "immediate and concrete steps in the fields of development, security and stability," Frattini said.

Frattini also said that relations between Israel and the EU must be strengthened.

"The upgrading of ties between Europe and Israel must not stop because that way Europe can play a major role" in the Middle East peace process, he told a joint news conference with the ultra-nationalist Lieberman.

During his four-day European tour, Lieberman is also scheduled to meet with officials in France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Relations between Israel and the EU have been tense since European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner warned last month that a planned upgrade of bilateral relations could not come about until the Israeli government commits to peace talks with the Palestinians.