The Israeli government said today US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell was expected to arrive for talks on a new Middle East peace plan on May 8th, his first trip to the region for more than a year.
Word of Mr Powell's visit came from an Israeli foreign ministry official soon after international mediators delivered to Israeli and Palestinian leaders a long-awaited "road map" outlining a path to peace between the two sides after 31 months of violence.A source close to Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon said Mr Powell was likely to stay over the ensuing weekend.A Palestinian official said Mr Powell would meet with new reformist Prime Minister Mr Mahmoud Abbas but not with President Mr Yasser Arafat whom Washington wants to sideline as an alleged obstacle to peace. Mr Arafat denies fomenting violence.US officials had earlier mentioned May 8th as the likely date for Mr Powell's arrival in the region. He is scheduled leave on Thursday for a separate trip to Albania, Syria and Lebanon to discuss efforts to advance Arab-Israeli peace moves and forge a representative democracy in Iraq.