The idea of holding a new Middle East peace conference has been discussed by the UK foreign secretary as he seeks to gain support for action against Iraq.

After talks in Egypt and Jordan, Jack Straw underlined the "desperate need" to ease the suffering of Palestinians and then inject new momentum into peace process.

Rewriting the rules in the middle of the game may not be the best solution

Ahmed Maher, Egyptian Foreign Minister, on Iraq

Mr Straw is using his four-day tour of the Middle East to try to win over the support of Arab states to possible military action against Iraq.

US President George Bush has raised the rhetoric on Iraq with a blunt warning that Saddam Hussein must disarm or face military action from an American-led coalition.

After his talks with Mr Straw, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said weapons inspections were the top priority in the Iraq crisis.

Mr Maher warned: "Rewriting the rules in the middle of the game may not be the best solution."

Palestinian deaths in Gaza have caused more tension

Asked whether his country would back using force against Iraq, Mr Maher said he did not believe in "predicting catastrophes before they happen".

Mr Straw said the UK and Egypt were agreed about the "necessity, if at all possible, to have this resolved by peaceful means".

But Iraq's alleged build up of weapons of mass destruction and its defiance of the United Nations had to be tackled, argued Mr Straw.

Iraq was on the agenda for later talks with Jordan's King Abdullah.

The king told Mr Straw he hoped Iraq's latest offer of accepting weapons inspections would defuse tensions and save the region from a new war.

Peace efforts

Mr Straw said he had not asked for Jordan to agree to allow troops to be based on its soil ready for a possible Iraq conflict.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has stressed the need to make new efforts for peace between Israelis and Palestinians alongside dealing with Iraq.

King Abdullah had warned against an Iraq war

In Egypt, Mr Straw said his talks had included the idea of a new peace conference - something which would get widespread support if held at the "appropriate time".

The idea of a peace conference was backed by Mr Maher.

"What is needed for this conference to be successful is for the parties to co-operate and for the Israelis to cease their incursions," said the Egyptian minister.

'Injecting new momentum'

Tensions in the region are running high with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowing to press on with army operations in the Gaza Strip.

That pledge came despite international condemnation of a raid that killed 14 Palestinians on Monday - news Mr Straw called disturbing.

Israel did have to ensure its own security, said Mr Straw, but the world did not have to accept "disproportionate" actions or the deaths of innocent people.

In Jordan, the foreign secretary was at even greater pains to emphasise the need for new efforts for peace.

There was a "clear and desperate need for measures to resolve the suffering of the Palestinian people and then to inject some peace, some momentum", said Mr Straw.

Mr Straw also briefly met Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief, who has met with Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.