WASHINGTON, April 26 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - The United States would take a central role in monitoring the implementation of the Israeli-Palestinian "road map" for peace, with European, United Nations and Russian diplomats playing a secondary role, a leading American newspaper quoted a recently completed draft document assigning tasks to parties involved in the peace process as saying.

Under the new draft plan, the on-the-ground monitoring committee responsible for measuring performance when the "roadmap" is published would be chaired by a U.S. official, Washington Post reported Saturday, April 26.

The plan also included that all aspects of the implementation would be handled by the U.S.-led committee, though it would draft confidential reports that would be forwarded to representatives of the EU, the United Nations and Russia.

Along with the United States, these three entities compose what is known as the Quartet that is overseeing the peace process.

The U.S.-led committee would also be responsible for its own budget, with expenses to be shared equally by the members of the Quartet, according to the plan.

Among the issues the committee would track are the implementation of security measures by the Palestinians, the reform of Palestinian security services, the building of Palestinian institutions, the reform of the Palestinian Authority's finances, the dismantling of Israeli settlement outposts erected since March 2001 and a freeze on settlement activity.

Four specialized groups would also be set up under the supervision of the U.S.-led committee, according to the document.

"One, on humanitarian issues, would be chaired by a European. But the key subcommittee, on security issues, will be chaired by the U.S. official heading the coordinating committee. The security panel would include the Egyptian, Jordanian and European representatives."

The plan also said two other groups would monitor Palestinian reforms and "special functions," such as settlement construction and the removal of settlement outposts

The administration is withholding official publication of the peace plan, which was completed in December, until the cabinet of the newly appointed Palestinian prime minister is confirmed, likely by next week.

Secretary of State Colin Powell could leave as early as next week on a Middle East tour and then, over the next six to eight weeks, officials hope to hold a succession of meetings in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, the Jordanian, Egyptian and Saudi foreign ministers, as well as with the envoys of Russia, the United Nations and the European Union, Washington Post reported.

The paper said that by enhancing the U.S. role and diluting the participation of the other Quartet members, the previously undisclosed codicil to the road map addresses a number of Israeli concerns about the group's involvement.