[19/March/2010]

MOSCOW, March 19 (Saba) -- The Middle East Quartet of mediators on Friday called on Israel and the Palestinians to resume peace talks and repeated condemnation of Israeli plans to build new settler homes in annexed East Jerusalem, Chinese News Agency (Xinhua) reported on Friday.

The Quartet, which groups Russia, the United States, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations, met here on Friday to push forward the peace process.

The one-day meeting brought together U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Quartet Representative Tony Blair.

In a statement issued after the gathering, the Quartet hailed the readiness to launch proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

"The proximity talks are an important step towards the resumption, without preconditions, of direct bilateral negotiations that resolve all final status issues as previously agreed by the parties," said the statement read by Ban at a joint news conference.

The peacemakers hoped the negotiations would lead to a settlement within two years that "ends the occupation which began in 1967 and results in the emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors."

The group stressed that Arab-Israeli peace and the establishment of a peaceful state of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza conformed to the fundamental interests of all states in the region and the international community.

The mediators called on Israel and the Palestinians to comply with international law and their previous agreements and obligations and adhere to the roadmap to create conditions for successful talks.

Israel's interior ministry said last week it approved the construction of 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem.

The announcement, which came after Israel and the Palestinians agreed to hold indirect talks after a 15-month break, sparked swift criticism from the international community, with Palestinians calling for a halt to peace talks and U.S.-Israeli relations strained.

The Quartet, which had issued a statement of condemnation over the Israeli move, on Friday slammed the Jewish state once again over the matter. "Unilateral actions taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations and will not be recognized by the international community."

Clinton said Washington did not believe that unilateral action by either party could help resolve the situation. "Hopefully, indirect talks between Israel and Palestine will be launched soon, as this is the only way to move towards direct negotiations."

The statement urged Israel to "freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, dismantle outposts erected since March 2001 and to refrain from demolitions and evictions in East Jerusalem."

The diplomats also voiced their concerns over the continuing deterioration in Gaza, including the humanitarian and human rights situation of the civilian population.

Hours before the Quartet meeting, the Israeli air force struck six targets in southern Gaza in response to a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip the day before, in which a Thai agricultural worker in Israel was killed.

Ban said he would fly to Gaza on Sunday to inspect the situation there.

Lavrov said Moscow expected Israel to heed and understand the Quartet statement.

The Quartet would set out its position to the conflict parties with utmost clarity, Lavrov said. "We hope they will listen to it."
Saba