"It (the peace conference) cannot come instead of taking measures against terrorism," Shalom said at a joint press conference with EU foreign policy envoy Javier Solana.

"Palestinians have not done what they are supposed to have, so it's impossible" in the forseeable future, he said.

An advisor to the minister had earlier voiced enthusiasm for tentative plans by Egypt for an autumn peace conference also involving the four backers of the Middle East roadmap peace plan, as well as the Palestinians.

"The Egyptians have proposed organising a conference at foreign minister level" in New York, Moshe Debi told AFP.

"Israel is looking at this proposition favourably but at the moment no exact date has been fixed nor have the issues which would be discussed."

According to Debi, the Egyptian are proposing a meeting of representatives from the European Union, United Nations, United States and Russia -- the four sponsors of the roadmap -- along with Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath, Shalom and Egyptian intelligence service chief Omar Suleiman.

Egypt has been in close contact with both Israel and the Palestinians about the planned pullout of Israeli troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip.

Debi said the meeting could take place on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly meeting in September or "a little later in October" in New York, where the UN has its headquarters.

WAR.WIRE