The U.S. is using the largest gathering of world leaders to try to keep up international pressure on Syria by branding it a meddlesome neighbor and a holdout against democratic advances in the Middle East.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice takes up the charge in meetings with other diplomats this week.

After a week of international meetings at the United Nations, Rice concludes her participation with a high-level meeting on Lebanon and a separate gathering of the nations and organizations helping to steer Israel and the Palestinians back to the peace table. The sessions will be the first major international gatherings on the Middle East since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip.

No major announcements on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process are expected after Tuesday’s meeting of the key Mideast peacemakers – the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.

Although the Europeans, in particular, want to pressure Israel to continue the momentum of the Gaza withdrawal into the West Bank, the Bush administration probably will urge patience.