BRUSSELS Besides Solana, Blair is due to meet with EuropeanCommission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and BenitaFerrero-Waldner, the EU's external relations commissioner. Blair is expected to hold further talks in Rome and Madrid before traveling to meet U.S. Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice and other members of the Quartet in thePortuguese capital. In Washington, White House officials said Bush consulted with Blair before proposing a conference open to countries in the region that support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Bush also announced the U.S. would make a new contribution of US$80 million (¤58 million) to help the Palestinians.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/468147