The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Cairo

Arab League chief Amr Mussa warned on Wednesday against what he called Israeli atempts to lower expectations and downplay the political meaning of an upcoming US-sponsored conference on Middle East peace. "We must strongly resist atempts to drain the conference of its meaning and to lower expectations, which I see signs of in Israeli statements," Mussa told the 22-member league. Otherwise, he told Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo, there would be "further deterioration in the region." In July, US President George W. Bush proposed holding an international conference to revive the faltering Middle East peace process, largely welcomed by the international community. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert -- who have been at odds over what exactly they want to achieve beforehand -- are scheduled to meet several times to find common ground before the summit expected in November.