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Bush to Discuss Mideast Conference Plan With Abbas

By VOA News
24 September 2007

U.S. President George Bush meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New York Monday, to discuss plans for a U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference.

Mr. Abbas is expected to ask Mr. Bush to ensure the conference produces a timetable for achieving Palestinian statehood. The two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting.

Israel has said it is seeking a less-detailed declaration of principles from the Mideast conference, expected to be held in November.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday the Bush administration plans to invite Syria and other members of the Arab League to the conference.

She also said participants at the conference should be committed to a peaceful solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and renouncing violence.

A senior U.S. official said other invitees are likely to include Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, in addition to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Rice discussed preparations for the conference in New York Sunday with other members of the Mideast Quartet -- Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

President Bush also meets Monday, in New York with the Quartet's Mideast envoy, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Mr. Bush will address the U.N. General Assembly Tuesday.

Mr. Blair said Sunday one goal of the proposed Mideast conference is to provide "a sense of what a Palestinian state will look like", in terms of its capabilities and governance.