Rice to visit UN Thursday but West Asia trip not set

UNITED NATIONS, July 19 (Reuters) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will go to the United Nations tomorrow to discuss the West Asia turmoil with Secretary-General Kofi Annan, officials said, but uncertainty persisted over the timing of any trip by her to the West Asia.

Annan, backed by the European Union, has urged that an international force be sent to Lebanon to help defuse the worst violence between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbollah in years, but the United States has resisted.

UN sources confirmed Rice would meet Annan tomorrow, but in Washington, US State Department officials said no final decision has been made on the timing or itinerary of any foreign travel she might make. An aide to Rice said she would not be making any international travel on Friday.

Rice said earlier yesterday she would travel to the West Asia if it would be helpful, but gave no time frame.

Israel's UN ambassador, Dan Gillerman, told Fox News yesterday that Rice would see Annan tomorrow and then would leave Friday for a trip that would include the West Asia.

In New York, Gillerman said, Rice would have dinner with Annan and Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief. He said she may also meet a UN delegation Annan sent to the West Asia.

A three-man mission Annan sent to the Middle East will return to New York today, and Annan expects to brief the UN Security Council on their findings tomorrow.

It is not clear how any West Asia visit would affect a planned Rice trip to Asia next week, which was announced earlier this month.

Reuters DKS GC0437