Rice sees West Asia quartet meeting on Feb 2

Berlin, Jan 18: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saidtoday the quartet of West Asia peace negotiators would probably meet inWashington on Feb 2.

''I have issued an invitation to the members of the quartet for ameeting in Washington that will take place in the week beginningJanuary 29, and is likely to take place on February 2,'' she saidbefore she met German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The quartet comprises the United States, the European Union, theUnited Nations and Russia. A number of countries want to see the groupplay a bigger role in peace efforts.

Mr Rice, in Berlin to discuss issues including West Asia peaceprocess with EU President Germany, had said yesterday a quartet meetingcould prepare the ground for talks between Israeli and Palestinianleaders.

She plans to bring together Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert andPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for informal talks in a few weeks.

Merkel told reporters she thought there was some movement in West Asia peace process.

Rice has come from a 5-day trip to the Middle East where she wonsupport for US plans to deploy further troops to stabilise Iraq. Shetravels on to Britain later today.

Reuters