Jerusalem, Aug 2 (Xinhua) An international Middle East peace conference, which would involve Israel and moderate Arab nations, is likely to convene in November, sources close to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday.
Details about the date, venue and participants of the conference are yet to be decided, said the sources as quoted by newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
During a meeting between Rice and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Wednesday it was agreed that the US would continue its efforts to pursue more and more moderate Arab countries to take part in the conference, the report said.
Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar and Bahrain were named as possible participants but no actual date and location have been set, nor has Rice announced the conference’s agenda, it added.
Olmert had urged Rice to include Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain and other Gulf states in the conference, adding that it was important for the delegates to be of ministerial rank at least.
Rice also met Israeli Vice Premier Haim Ramon before heading for Ramallah for talks with the Palestinian National Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas Thursday.
Rice had arrived in Israel Wednesday afternoon to lay the ground for an international peace conference, which US President George W. Bush July 16 proposed to be held later this year, as a step to promote Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.