PRESIDENT Arroyo will take only 20 people with her to Washington to attend the 57th National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday (Friday in Manila), an official said yesterday.

?They will have to charter a smaller plane to the United States as not all who joined the week-long trip to Europe and the Middle East will be joining Mrs. Arroyo,? said the official who asked not to be named.

He said there was no scheduled private meeting with US President Barack Obama, the guest speaker of the annual event that is held every first Thursday of February at the Capital Hilton?s ballroom.

?Everything is fluid. Preparations are still being done,? the official said.

?There might be another event in Washington other than the breakfast meeting, but we cannot give details yet.

?There are no preparations for an official private meeting between President Arroyo and President Obama, but during the event both leaders can have a pull-aside informal meeting if there is an opportunity.?

Before her US trip, Mrs. Arroyo was also scheduled to visit Bahrain, which she had also visited in 2003, and Saudi Arabia, where she was expected to discuss the supply of Filipino labor to the kingdom. Joyce Pangco Pa?ares with AFP