UN chief calls for substantial action in Quartet meeting

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon expected to see substantial results in the upcoming Quartet meeting on the Middle East, UN spokesperson Michele Montas said on Thursday.

Montas told reporters at the daily briefing that Ban hopes that the Quartet will seriously engage with the key issues that have a direct impact on the situation on the ground, going beyond mere statements.

"He is fully aware that, within the region and beyond, many are looking at the Quartet to be more energetic in its efforts than it has been at times to break the current impasse in the peace process," she said.

Montas added that Ban believes the Quartet should reach out to the parties and also other key regional partners for a more systematic dialogue, and involvement in the Quartet's deliberations.

The Quartet, which has been championing the so-called Road Map plan aimed at securing a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, has not met formally since September.

Ban, on behalf of the United Nations, will be participating on Friday in his first meeting of the so-called diplomatic Quartet in Washington with top officials of the other three partners including the United States, Russia, and the European Union (EU).

Among the participants are US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and European Union ( EU) High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, representing the EU Presidency.

Source: Xinhua