Mideast Quartet to meet in Moscow March 19 - UN
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The Middle East diplomatic Quartet is to meet in Moscow on March 19, a UN spokesman said Tuesday.
Martin Nesirky told AFP that UN chief Ban Ki-moon "will take part in the Quartet meeting that will take place in Moscow on March 19". He was commenting on press reports quoting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying the Quartet - the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations - would meet in Moscow at ministerial level on March 19 to discuss prospects for resuming the stalled Middle East peace process.
Israel's continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem is one of the biggest obstacles to the resumption of the peace talks, now suspended for more than a year.
Monday, the United States criticised Israel for authorising more Jewish settlements in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, describing the move as "counter-productive". The Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Friday that the government had given the green light for 600 new homes in a Jewish settlement in east Jerusalem, drawing anger from the Palestinians.
The Quartet has endorsed a roadmap for Middle East peace which calls for a viable Palestinian state living peacefully alongside a secure Israel.
But no tangible progress has been made on resolving the core issues of Jerusalem, the future borders of a Palestinian state and refugees.
AFP
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The Middle East diplomatic Quartet is to meet in Moscow on March 19, a UN spokesman said Tuesday.
Martin Nesirky told AFP that UN chief Ban Ki-moon "will take part in the Quartet meeting that will take place in Moscow on March 19". He was commenting on press reports quoting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying the Quartet - the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations - would meet in Moscow at ministerial level on March 19 to discuss prospects for resuming the stalled Middle East peace process.
Israel's continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem is one of the biggest obstacles to the resumption of the peace talks, now suspended for more than a year.
Monday, the United States criticised Israel for authorising more Jewish settlements in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, describing the move as "counter-productive". The Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Friday that the government had given the green light for 600 new homes in a Jewish settlement in east Jerusalem, drawing anger from the Palestinians.
The Quartet has endorsed a roadmap for Middle East peace which calls for a viable Palestinian state living peacefully alongside a secure Israel.
But no tangible progress has been made on resolving the core issues of Jerusalem, the future borders of a Palestinian state and refugees.
AFP
