United Nations ? Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday that key Arab nations, including Syria, would be invited to President Bush’s planned Mideast peace conference this fall and expressed hope they would attend.

Formal invitations haven’t been issued yet but Rice said it “would be natural” for Syria, Saudi Arabia and 10 other Arab League members looking at a broad peace deal with Israel to participate despite their hostility to the Jewish state.

“It is very important that the regional players of the international community mobilize to support them,” she said, referring to the Israelis and the Palestinians.

But, she said their attendance would have to reflect acceptance of international efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and support for the ultimate goal of a two-state solution and comprehensive regional peace agreement.

“We would hope that the invitations would include the members of the Arab follow-up committee,” Rice told a news conference here after a meeting of the international diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East – the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia.