Powell plans Mid-East trip

By Jon Leyne
BBC State Department correspondent

Powell has been away from the region for almost a year

The US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said he plans to travel to the Middle East soon as part of efforts to restart the peace process involving Israel and the Palestinians.

As part of the trip, Mr Powell also intends to go to Syria to press the Syrian Government not to harbour fleeing Iraqi leaders.

No date has been set yet, although State Department officials suggest it will not be for at least a week.

Everything depends on the new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas being confirmed in office, and he is engaged in a tough fight with Yasser Arafat over who will be in his cabinet.

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Once that is resolved, the United States will release the latest peace plan, known as the roadmap.

Then, Mr Powell has promised to turn his attention back to the Middle East after staying away for nearly a year.

At the same time, the secretary of state also plans to visit Syria to convey in person the increasingly tough warnings Washington has been making to the Syrian government.

The Bush administration is accusing Syria of harbouring fleeing members of the Iraqi regime, supporting terrorism and producing chemical weapons.

Mr Powell wants to make it clear that that's the sort of behaviour the United States will no longer ignore.