By NNN-KUNA
Ramallah : Palestinian Information Minister Riyadh Al-Maliki has said that more than 30 countries will be participating in the Middle East peace conference expected to be held in mid-November.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, he said US President George W. Bush has informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting in New York of the US Administration’s agreement to send out invitations to 30 countries.
He said that the International Quartet would also be taking part, as well as the G-8, the permanent five members of the UN Security Council, the 12-member Arab follow-up committee, as well as Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia, alongside the Palestinian and Israeli sides.
Al-Maliki also said that the Arab League would be forming a sub-committee to follow up negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, grouping Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Secretary-General Amr Moussa.
The minister said Abbas’ meetings with Bush, French President Nicholas Sarkozy, the Quartet and the European Troika helped elevate hopes of a successful conference.
As for the Palestinian stance as to the fall conference, he said an agreement had to be reached over a fundamental document that placed final solutions for all problems within a certain timeframe.