American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice chose Annapolis as the site for the Middle East conference because the city is steeped in American history, according to the Washington Post. Inside the hall where the delegates will gather, a large blue flag in the United States Naval Academy declares, "Don’t give up the ship."

Rice "wanted something that was unmistakably American," Brian R. Besanceney, deputy chief of staff for planning for Secretary Rice, told the newspaper.

The city also is convenient, located less than an hour's drive from downtown Washington and designed for high security because of the location of the Naval Academy, whose grounds are surrounded by water and a tall brick wall.