Under German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, who enjoys the confidence of both the Israelis and the Palestinians, Germany has virtually adopted therole of unofficial mediator in the Middle East.
Rome will attempt to use both its links to the Gadhafi regime and its role in the intervention to carve out a post-conflict mediatorrole that can protect its interests.
There is therefore a move for greater co-ordination between the European and US positions and may ensure a continuing role for the EU as a mediator in future negotiations.
Cairo's efforts came despite the wave of popular anti-Israel sentiment that threatened to end Egypt's traditional role as Israel-Palestinian mediator in the aftermath of the revolution against former President Hosni Mubarak's rule last year.
His comments were welcomed by the opposition, which has long been angered by the U.N. mediator's refusal to take a firm position on excluding a future role for Assad.
Therole of the ombudsman varies from media to media, but generally an ombudsman acts as a mediator between the personnel of a media house and its users, fostering a dialogue between these two parties.