Despite all the optimism shown and declared by most of the top officials regarding the Annapolis peace summit, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Monday that he is very skeptic about the outcome of the Middle East peace conference and that the reaching of an agreement at the meeting is very improbable.

Minister Store said that the reasons why an agreement won’t be reached are first of all historical. The Norwegian top official expressed his pessimism regarding the matter on the eve of the conference he was slate to attend to the Norwegian news agency NTB.

According to Store’s statement, there are also reasons to participate at the highly anticipated peace summit:

"The US is actively involved and ... the parties, in spite of everything, are meeting. They are risking a lot politically by doing so."

He hoped the assembly would agree on a timetable for when the parties would discuss various key issues.

The Norwegian foreign minister praised the participation of Syria and Saudi Arabia adding that the absence of the two middle-eastern countries was mentioned when former US president Clinton assessed the unsuccessful efforts at the summit he hosted 2000.
He also said that the part taking of the neighboring states was "likely better" for the peace process.

"It is important that the countries in the region are involved and take responsibility," Store said.

Store also talked a bit about the role that Norway will play in the conference. The Scandinavian country will be a coordinator of international funds to the Palestinian Authority and its extensive experience with many issues involved in the conflict will help as well.