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British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Monday that he would invite Palestinian leaders to London in January in a bid to support Palestinian reforms and move the Middle East peace process forward, Reuters reported.
While making a statement about the EU enlargement to the British parliament, Blair said, "I can announce today that I am inviting leading Palestinians to come to Britain in January to a conference along with members of the quartet and other countries from the region closely involved in supporting the reform efforts."
"It will discuss progress on reform and look at how the international community can help," he said.
Last month, British government officials said Blair was hoping to convene a conference with both Palestinian and Israeli leaders.
The United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia, is putting together an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. But Gulf tensions and Israel's Jan. 28 election are delaying the progress.
"In the short term, progress on the Israeli side will be limited by the general election campaign," Blair said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2002)
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