Conference Watch: Still Much to be Done

August 3, 2007

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)

Date: October or November

Location: To be determined.

Invitees:
• Invitations have not yet been issued.
• Saudi Arabia will consider attending if talks are substantive.
• Syria also announced its willingness to attend, despite almost non-existent relations with Washington.

Agenda:
• Specific agenda items have not been determined
• Main purpose is to discuss and possibly move forward the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
• Arab states have urged discussion on final status issues, while Israel wants to use the forum to move forward, not finalize, the peace process.

Advance Preparation:
• Trips Completed: 1 four-day visit, July 30-August 2, with Defense Secretary Gates. Gates did not accompany Rice to the Israel portion of the visit.
• Earlier trip to the Middle East and Africa cancelled so Secretary Rice could focus on the domestic debate on the war in Iraq.
• Trips planned: Rice plans to return to the region before the conference
• The Quartet is expected to meet once prior to the conference.

Guide to Preparing International Conferences



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