CAIRO: Both Egypt and the Arab League have voiced concerns over the ambiguity surrounding the agenda of a US-sponsored peace conference to be held in Washington in November. Speaking at a press conference in Cairo Thursday after meeting with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told assembled reporters that the United States had not announced the framework for the conference. "We hope that the time from now to the meeting be made available to clarify many positions, the foreign minister said. "Maybe the American administration and the secretary of state [Condoleezza Rice] will launch that effort in the next few weeks. But for the time being we haven t yet seen that kind of major activity, Aboul Gheit added. For his part, the Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa voiced his unease in stronger terms at an earlier press conference with Kouchner. It is understood that his initial objection has to do with US intentions to exclude Syria from the conference. The Arab League position is that for a comprehensive and lasting peace settlement for the region to take place, agreements must be reached with all parties in the Middle East. Describing the conference as mere window dressing, Moussa warned that the Arabs would not be treated lightly. The Arab League head also wants the Palestinians to go to the conference having resolved their differences. "There are still many uncertainties surrounding the conference, Moussa said, "we do not know its agenda, its goals, and the participating parties, and I am sure that none of the Arab states will take part in this conference. Moussa also stated that Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal's recent comments that Saudi Arabia might not attend the conference as highly indicative of the lack of clarity surrounding the event. The Saudi foreign minister declared on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia may not attend the conference unless there were guarantees that the central issues to the conflict be addressed. These were, according to Al-Faisal, "the issue of Jerusalem and borders. However, Moussa did indicate a willingness to change the Arab League's position if the circumstances surrounding the conference were clarified. He said, "The proposal by the US president to hold an international conference has a number of positive aspects, although all participants must have a clear understanding of this forum s goals, otherwise it would be just another waste of time. Arab concerns might be allayed next week as Rice travels to Jerusalem and Ramallah from September 18-20 to begin laying the groundwork for the November conference. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday that Rice is making the visit "in order to continue the discussions on advancing the development of a political horizon and the two-state solution. It is Rice's intent "to build upon some of the progress the two parties themselves have made during their discussions recently, the spokesman added. McCormack lauded Palestinian and Israeli efforts to form some sort of cooperative framework by deciding "to form some negotiating committees and that is a very positive development. That is a very positive signal from the two sides that they are ready to move this process forward. The spokesman added that to ensure the success of a peaceful settlement "it is going to be fundamental that the two states themselves are ready to roll up their sleeves.
