Berlin - Jordanian Foreign Minister Salah Bashir urged Israel and the Palestinians Wednesday to use the "window of opportunity" created by last year's Annapolis peace conference to make a deal before it was too late.

Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, emerging from talks with Bashir in Berlin, voiced concern that domestic political issues in Israel might throw the peace contacts off track.

He was referring to corruption allegations against Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and calls by opponents for him to resign.

Both ministers said they hoped the Israelis and Palestinians would agree the basics of a settlement by the end of this year, as foreshadowed by the talks in November
2007 at Annapolis near Washington.

Steinmeier, who is set to leave Berlin on Saturday for a Mideast tour, said the elements of a settlement were not visible yet, but both sides were making an effort.

The two ministers praised troubled Lebanon's choice of a president and said it was vital to get a cabinet in place next. Steinmeier said the sovereignty of the Lebanese state meant there must be discussion about disarming militias.

The Jordanian foreign minister is scheduled to proceed from Berlin to Stockholm to attend an international conference on Iraq.

Steinmeier is to meet the new Lebanese president, Michel Suleiman, on Sunday in Beirut, then fly to Israel and visit Palestinian leaders.

A conference on assistance and training for the Palestinian security forces and justice system is set to take place on June 24 in Berlin and Steinmeier is to prepare for this. (dpa)