Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers, Defence Ministers, National Security Advisers, Military and Intelligence Chiefs from more than 25 countries are expected to join the Manama Dialogue, to be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain (3-5 December 2010).
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is organizing the event for the seventh time, but is keeping the list of participants firmly under wraps.
However, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be among those taking part in the summit at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa.
A delegation from the UK is understood to include British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Defence Secretary Liam Fox.
IISS Middle East Managing Director Mark Allworthy said his organization would be in daily contact with Bahrain's security services in the build-up to the event. 'This is really the biggest event of the year for Bahrain in terms of security,' he said.
'The government delegations will be based across 6 hotels that we have fully booked. Alongside that, we are in daily communication with the Interior Ministry, the Bahrain Defence Force and The Royal Court with regard to the correct protocol arrangements for the delegates.'
More than 600 delegates, representing political and business interests from around the world, are expected to attend the 3-day conference.
The event will address some of the major issues facing the Middle East, including Iraq, US influence on regional security, regional co-operation and the security of Yemen.