Cairo - The Palestinian-Israeli peace process will be the main topic of a meeting on Saturday of Arab foreign ministers with representatives of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Shiekh.

"This meeting is important as it can lead to deeper understanding between the Arab countries and the Quartet on how to proceed regionally and internationally to support negotiations between the two sides," said the spokesman of Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Hussam Zaki.

"Thus, it can help to achieve a just and permanent settlement for this conflict," Zaki was quoted by the official Middle East News Agency as saying Friday.

Arab countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Jordan have confirmed their attendance.

The Quartet comprises the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations.

Zaki also said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will hold a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Saturday.

Rice comes to Egypt after her two-day visit to Israel.

On Sunday, the Quartet will hold a meeting, which will also be attended by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, to evaluate the progress of the Palestinian- Israeli talks during the past period.

The Quartet has long backed a peace deal that would see the establishment of an independent Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel.

The Quartet meeting comes one day before Palestinian factions arrive in Egypt for the national reconciliation dialogue, which has been brokered by Egypt for the past few months. (dpa)