US's Rice sees West Asia quartet meeting Feb 2

BERLIN, Jan 18 (Reuters) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today the quartet of West Asia peace negotiators would probably meet in Washington on Feb 2.

''I have issued an invitation to the members of the quartet for a meeting in Washington that will take place in the week beginning January 29, and is likely to take place on February 2,'' she said before she met German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

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

Mr Rice, in Berlin to discuss issues including West Asia peace process with EU President Germany, had said yesterday a quartet meeting could prepare the ground for talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

She plans to bring together Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian 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 won support for US plans to deploy further troops to stabilise Iraq. She travels on to Britain later today.

REUTERS SHB RK1548