Peace summit looking likely

Powell and Sharon held 'frank and useful' talks earlier this month

A Middle East peace summit hosted by President George W Bush early next month is looking increasingly likely, according to US diplomats.

Before the Israeli cabinet meeting on Sunday they said the president would arrange a summit if Israel accepted the so-called roadmap peace proposals.

Diplomats said it would likely take place in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on 4 June.

The Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers would meet Mr Bush to try to work out their next moves.

The BBC's Justin Webb, in Washington, says that this would be a dramatic change of posture for the president, leading to precisely the direct and detailed involvement in peacemaking which he came to power rejecting as foolish and counter-productive.

ROADMAP MAIN POINTS

Phase 1 (to May 2003): End of terrorism, normalisation of Palestinian life and Palestinian political reform; Israeli withdrawal and end of settlement activity; Palestinian elections

Phase 2: (June-Dec 2003) Creation of an independent Palestinian state; international conference and international monitoring of compliance with roadmap

Phase 3 (2004-2005): Second international conference; permanent status agreement and end of conflict; agreement on final borders, Jerusalem, refugees and settlements; Arab states to agree to peace deals with Israel

Roadmap full text

Can attacks be stopped?

In a further sign of American commitment, a team of US intelligence and security officials is to be sent to Jerusalem to help co-ordinate implementation of the roadmap.

Mr Sharon agreed to put the proposals to his cabinet after the US promised to address Israel's objections to the plan, which envisages the step-by-step creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.

Following a heated debate, the Israeli Government for the first time formally endorsed the creation of a Palestinian state, but with a long list of reservations

Mr Sharon had objected to the freeze on Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories demanded by the plan, and insisted that the Palestinians must halt all violence before Israel makes any significant concessions.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell previously acknowledged Israeli concerns about the roadmap and that they would be addressed.

But he stressed that the word "address" did not suggest America would end up siding with Israel over the Palestinians.

The word had "a very nice, broad term", he said.

No amendments

The BBC's Jeremy Cooke in Jerusalem said Mr Sharon's personal acceptance of the roadmap was highly significant, and could break the diplomatic deadlock.

In a statement earlier on Friday, Mr Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said the US shared "the view of the government of Israel" that "real concerns" remained.

But Mr Powell said this did not mean there would be amendments, describing the scheme as a good one.

Palestinian backing

The US statement also indicated that the reservations would not be addressed immediately, but "in the implementation" of the plan.

Our correspondent says the wording of the statement from Washington - which falls short of agreeing to revise the roadmap - has been carefully calculated to reassure Mr Sharon and his cabinet that the US will not push them into major concessions.

The Palestinians have already accepted the roadmap, and Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath described Friday's news as a "positive step".

But he also stressed that the Palestinians "will not agree to amendments" to the plan.

Following a series of suicide attacks on Israeli targets, Mr Sharon had to postpone planned talks with President Bush in Washington and no fresh date has been announced.