The international Quartet of Middle East peace mediators, at its meeting in Moscow on Friday, called for the earliest possible resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks. Attending the high-level Moscow session were its Russian host, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherin Ashton and the Quartet's special envoy and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In a joint statement read by Ban Ki-moon at a follow-up press conference, the Quartet welcomed future informal contacts between Israel and Palestinians, seeing them as an important step towards the resumption of direct negotiations without pre-conditions. It gave both sides 24 months to thrash out differences and create a Palestinian state. Analysts say the Quartet's statement may serve the basis for future UN resolutions on the Middle East.
Ban Ki-moon urged the conflicting parties to refrain from provocative moves and tensions-mounting rhetoric. Commenting on Thursday's rocket attack on Israel by militants in the Gaza Strip and retaliatory Israeli bombings, Mr. Ban said they deserved special condemnation. He called for an immediate halt to violence and for full compliance with the ceasefire.
The Quartet unanimously condemned the Israeli government's plans to build 1,600 new homes for Jews in disputed East Jerusalem, which are to blame for the disruption of the U.S.-brokered "proximity" talks between Palestinians and Israelis. The document points out that the status of Jerusalem and other sensitive issues must be resolved at the negotiating table.
Sergei Lavrov, for his part, urged the conflicting parties to honor their previous commitments:
"The circumstances that enabled the sides to accept indirect talks must be respected. This principle has been clearly formulated as have been the statement's other provisions saying that any unilateral moves prior to the ultimate deal are inadmissible. We hope Israel will hear and interpret it correctly. As has already been announced, the UN Secretary General is heading for the region and Senator Mitchell will also be there one of these days. They will explain the Quartet's position as precisely as possible. We expect both sides to heed it".
The Quartet is making unprecedented efforts to break the Middle East deadlock. Whether its diplomacy will bear fruit and de-escalate tensions remains to be seen.
Please rate: