UK hopes London meeting paves way to 'road map'

Britain hopes today's meeting on Palestinian reform in London will pave the way for a revival of the "road map" plan for Middle East peace - but few people involved expect a breakthrough. The meeting, coming four days after a suicide bomb in Tel Aviv that showed the fragility of a three-week-old ceasefire declaration, will set out a reform agenda for Palestinian security forces and political institutions.

It also aims to boost investment in the Palestinian economy. "It's not a peace conference, nor will it deal with the final status issues in the road map but we believe it's a vital practical step towards restarting the road map process," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.

The US-backed road map is a plan that envisages parallel moves from both sides, culminating in final agreement on a Palestinian state and a secure Israel.

Critics say the London meeting will achieve little, especially as Israel is not participating.

They argue Prime Minister Tony Blair's initiative has a lot to do with rebuilding his own standing after the Iraq war and say its biggest achievement may prove to be gathering an impressive array of delegates.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will attend alongside European and Arab foreign ministers and World Bank and International Monetary Fund representatives.

"It's a high-level attendence which reflects the sense of opportunity and momentum created by recent progress plus renewed international consensus about the way forward,"

said Mr Straw. However, there has been speculation that newly elected Abbas, fearing the meeting would impose new conditions on Palestinians, had to be persuaded to attend.

Britain says the meeting will set up a US-led coordinating group to provide training and finance for security forces the Palestinians have promised to streamline.

The EU Commission and World Bank will announce a follow-up role in economic and governance areas. And some nations will pledge cash, setting the stage for a donor conference later.

"We'll make funds available to help deliver tangible improvements in living conditions, build up the Palestinians' government capacity and support the reconstruction of infrastructure,"

EU external affairs commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in a statement.

Many experts say the meeting will not even address the big issues needed for peace talks to start.

"The conference will be a sideshow to what is happening on the ground," said one London-based analyst.

Palestinians want governments to put pressure on Israel to ensure its planned withdrawal from Gaza later this year is part of the road map, and not an isolated gesture that would leave the Jewish state holding large settlements in the West Bank.

"(We) want the international community's commitment to restore the peace process and go ahead with implementation of the road map," Palestinian Planning Minister Ghassan al-Khatib said in the West Bank.

Palestinians want Israel to stop construction in Jewish settlements and remove checkpoints.

Unlike the United States, which is Israel's biggest backer, Britain wields little influence in the Middle East but the "quartet", comprising the EU, United Nations, Russia and United States, will meet on the sidelines of the London conference.