Ministers from 'quartet' working for Mideast peace to meet in Paris

The Quartet of powers mediating for peace in the Middle East will meet next week in Paris for the first time since last month's US-sponsored conference aiming for an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement by the end of 2008, officials said Tuesday. The ministerial-level meeting, on the sidelines of an international donors conference for the Palestinians, will bring together officials from the United States, United Nations, the European Union and Russia, according to EU, Russian and French officials. The Palestinian donors conference is being held Monday, and will include officials from several countries, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and representatives from international financial institutions. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will attend the donors conference and quartet meeting, his office said. Mideast peace envoy Tony Blair was also expected at the donors conference.