Quartet calls for immediate cease-fire in the Middle East

Diplomats from the Quartet of Middle East on Wednesday called for an immediate stop of violence in the region as fighting between Israel and Hamas militants continued to flare up.

The quartet, which groups Russia, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union, issued a statement after a meeting in Berlin, calling for the restore of law and order in the region.

The Palestinians should "immediately renounce all acts of violence and respect the cease-fire," and "do everything necessary to restore law and order," said the statement.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon met in Berlin as both Israel and Hamas vowed to continue their fight.

Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa al-Barghouti on Wednesday urged the Quartet to recognize the unity government and lift siege on the Palestinian people.

The EU has decided to limit deals with Palestinian ministers who are affiliated with Hamas.

Hamas leads the Palestinian coalition government but it refuses to meet the Quartet's demands of renouncing violence, recognition of Israel and signed deals, which are the three conditions of the Quartet to end financial and political boycott imposed on the Palestinians.

The quartet is scheduled to meet again in June in the Middle East with participation of Arabian countries.

Source: Xinhua