Diplomats from the European Union (EU), the United States and Arab countries are working overtime in advance of the planned Annapolis, Maryland conference on the Middle East. No formal date for the conference has been announced and American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice still is trying to guarantee participation of major Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak hosted counterparts from Iraq, Sudan and Yemen on Sunday. King Abdullah II of Jordan also was scheduled to arrive in Cairo for top-level talks. EU foreign policy advisor Javier Solana arrived in Egypt Sunday night and will meet with government officials on Monday.