Rice to visit Middle East 'on Friday'

UNITED NATIONS - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expects to go to the Middle East on Friday after visiting the United Nations to speak to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Israel's UN ambassador said today.

"I understand the secretary is going to arrive in New York on Thursday evening... and I understand she is going to leave for the region on Friday (Sat NZT)," Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman told Fox News.

In New York, Gillerman said, Rice would have dinner with Annan and Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief. She may meet a UN delegation Annan sent to the Middle East, Gillerman said.

Rice said earlier on Tuesday she would travel to the region if it would be helpful, but gave no time frame.

In Washington, US State Department officials said no final decision had been made on when she might make the trip. They also declined to comment on whether she planned to travel to the United Nations.

It is not clear how any Middle East visit would affect another planned Rice trip to Asia next week. That trip was announced last week.

- REUTERS