"We're not organizing an international conference, and we don't really see anybody else that's organizing an international conference at this moment," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, meanwhile, stressed that a peace conference "cannot come instead of taking measures against terrorism."

"Palestinians have not done what they are supposed to have, so it's impossible" in the foreseeable future, he said Thursday in Jerusalem.

Moshe Debi, an adviser to the minister, had earlier voiced enthusiasm for tentative plans by Egypt for an autumn peace conference also involving the four backers of the Middle East roadmap peace plan, as well as the Palestinians.

"Israel is looking at this proposition favorably, but at the moment no exact date has been fixed, nor have the issues which would be discussed," Debi said.

According to Debi, the Egyptians are proposing a meeting of representatives from the European Union, United Nations, United States and Russia -- the four sponsors of the roadmap -- along with Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath, Shalom and Egyptian intelligence service chief Omar Suleiman.

Egypt has been in close contact with both Israel and the Palestinians about the planned pullout of Israeli troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip.

Debi said the meeting could take place on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly meeting in September or "a little later in October" in New York, where the UN has its headquarters.

WAR.WIRE