Egypt Confirms Attendance at Mideast Peace Conference
By VOA News
21 November 2007
Egypt says its foreign minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, will attend a Mideast peace conference in the U.S. city of Annapolis near Washington next week.
Egypt is the first Arab state to confirm its participation in the U.S.-sponsored conference. Other Arab states are due to decide on their attendance during an Arab League meeting in Cairo Friday.
The United States has invited nearly 50 nations and organizations to next Tuesday's conference, including several Arab states that do not recognize Israel - such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will attend the gathering. Palestinian officials said Wednesday they are continuing talks with Israel aimed at drafting a joint document to be presented at the conference.
Israel's government announced another goodwill gesture to Mr. Abbas Wednesday, saying it will permit Palestinian farmers in the Gaza Strip to export flowers and strawberries to Europe.
Israel did not say when the exports will be allowed to resume. It would mark the first major easing of Israeli trade restrictions on Gaza since the Hamas militant group seized the territory in June.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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