RAMALLAH, Sept. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said on Tuesday US Assistant Secretary of State William Burns will start a Mideast tour and visit the Palestinian territories, holding meetings with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei.

    Shaath told Palestinian daily "al Ayyam" Burns would participate in the Quartet committee session due to be held at Jerusalem to prepare for the Quartet committee session that would be held in New York by the end of September.

    Burns' visit will start from Sept. 12 and last for several days, said Shaath, adding he will meet Palestinian officials from the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

    It is the first visit of a US senior official to the Middle East region since the visit of US National Security Council head of Middle East affairs Eliot Abrams about a month ago. Enditem