The Quartet, or the United Nations, the United States, the
European Union and Russia, said on Wednesday that it is concerned
about the continued stalemate between Israel and Palestine and
expressed support for the efforts by Palestinian leader Mahmoud
Abbas to form a national unity government.
"The Quartet stressed the urgent need to make progress towards a
just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. The
Quartet expressed its concern at the grave crisis in Gaza and the
continued stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians," the
Quartet said in a statement following a meeting on the sidelines of
the UN General Assembly.
The Quartet welcomes effort by Abbas to form a national unity
government in the hope that such a government would reflect Quartet
principle and allow for early engagement between the two sides, the
statement said.
The Quartet reaffirmed its commitment to the "roadmap" as the
means to realize the goal of two democratic states - Israel and
Palestine - living side by side in peace and security, the
statement said, adding that it welcomes a meeting by Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the
near future.
The statement also called for greater donor support to meet the
needs of the Palestinian people.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, European Union High
Representative Javier Solana and other officials attended the
meeting.
The United States has refused to deal with the Palestinian
government headed by the militant Hamas. Abbas has said that he
hopes to establish a unity government with Hamas being part of
it.
(Xinhua News Agency September 21, 2006)
