Sheikh, Egypt, Nov 23, SPA -- World leaders meeting in Egypt focused on Israel, Palestinians and what is seen as a chance to jump start the stalled peace process Tuesday, then shifted the focus to another Mideast hotspot _ Iraq. The Quartet of sponsors of an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan took the opportunity of an international conference on Iraq for an informal breakfast meeting on their plan, known as the road map. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell was joined at the table by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Palestine Liberation Organization chief Mahmoud Abbas, speaking to reporters in the West Bank Tuesday morning, said Quartet members "need to find a way to activate the road map, and provide the necessary financial aid to the Palestinian people." Powell, who is on one of his last trips as secretary of state, had assured Israeli and Palestinian leaders Monday that newly re-elected U.S. President George W. Bush is intent on moving "forward on the path of peace, to take advantage of the new opportunities that are before us." --MORE 1247 Local Time 0947 GMT
