PORTUGAL: Middle East Quartet backs Bush peace drive, latest

The Quartet of Middle East mediators threw its weight on Thursday (July 19) behind a U.S. plan to reinvigorate stagnant Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking and pledged support for all Palestinians, including those in Gaza. The Quartet met for the first time since Hamas Islamists seized control of the Gaza Strip from U.S.-backed President Mahmoud Abbas's forces last month, effectively dividing Palestinians between Gaza and the West Bank. The meeting of top diplomats from the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations was also the first with Tony Blair as its envoy. Delegates hope he will help kick-start Middle East peace moves with passion and commitment. "It is imperative that we succeed and I am prepared to try to help in what ever way I can. And I think that in the end that is the most important attitude for me to carry into this job and I also think that there is a real will and desire if people can find the right way forward to get to that two-state solution that people want and, just imagine for a moment, if this process were moving forward again, just think how much hope there will be, how much there would be a sense of people coming together, how much there would be a falling away of the hatred and division that this particular conflict often brings to those ultimately affected by it but to the wider world," Blair told reporters at a news conference after the meeting. Blair will travel to the Middle East and report back to the Quartet on his strategy of economic and institutional reforms for the Palestinians in September, according to a statement from the meeting. Earlier in the week, U.S. President George W. Bush announced he intends to hold a Middle East peace conference in the autumn, probably in the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit the Middle East in the near future to try to boost support for the conference. " "The Quartet welcomed President Bush's July 16 statement renewing U.S. commitment to a negotiated two-state solution, and supported President Bush's call for an international meeting in the fore. The Quartet looks forward to consultations as the meeting is prepared," United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, reading from the statement issued by the Quartet. It is years since Israel and the Palestinians last discussed issues at the root of the conflict -- final borders of a Palestinian state, the return of refugees and the status of Jerusalem. Building peace in the Middle East will not be made easier by a Hamas takeover of Gaza which has changed the Palestinian political landscape. The Quartet pledged to go on supporting Gaza Palestinians. Aid agencies have urged an easing of an effective trade embargo on Gaza, where poverty is increasing. "I want to say very clearly that we will continue helping the Palestinian people which are in Gaza. We will continue committed to that. That's what I would like to say at this point in time," said European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana. The Quartet's statement made no mention of Hamas. The United States maintains a boycott against Hamas, which it classifies as a "terrorist" organization. On Monday (July 23), Blair will visit Israel and the West Bank, where Abbas's Fatah is in control. It will be his first visit since he became the Quartet's envoy on the day he stepped down as prime minister after 10 years in power. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met Abbas this week but Israel again ruled out negotiations for now on the borders of a future Palestinian state. To help Abbas, Israel decided to release 256 Palestinian prisoners.

ITN Source | July 20, 2007

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