US, Poland Launch Mideast Conference

WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- The United States and Poland are kicking off an international conference on the Middle East amid uncertainty over its aims and questions about what it will deliver.

Initially it was billed by President Donald Trump's administration as an Iran-focused meeting. The organizers have significantly broadened its scope to include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the fight against the Islamic State group, Syria and Yemen. The shift was designed in part to boost participation after some invitees balked at an Iran-centric event when many in Europe are trying to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after last year's U.S. withdrawal.

Yet the agenda for the discussions contains no hint of any concrete action that might result. Many of the roughly 60 countries participating will be represented at levels lower than foreign minister.

(KA)