US seeks peace conference inTurkey

The US government is trying to arrange a Middle East peace conference in Turkey.

It would be attended by foreign ministers from Europe and the Middle East region.

A senior US official said the talks would be geared towards reopening negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and would attempt to address the broader Arab-Israeli conflict.

President George Bush has scheduled meetings this weekend with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Mr Sharon has proposed that the conference be held at the level of foreign ministers, meaning Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat would not attend.

He insists Arafat is not committed to making peace with Israel and is therefore unworthy of attending the conference.

President Bush is waiting to hear Mr Mubarak spell out his demand for quick Palestinian statehood, the White House said.

Mr Bush has already set a precedent by declaring his support for Palestinian statehood, the first US president to take that step.

He has also frequently praised a proposal by Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, and endorsed by the Arab League, that would have Israel withdraw from the territories it took from the Arabs in the 1967 Six Day War.

Ariel Sharon has left open the possibility he would agree to a Palestinian state, but only after Palestinian attacks on Israel end and other issues in the Israel-Palestinian dispute are resolved.