CAIRO, Nov 9 (KUNA) — The International Quartet on the Middle East renewed during a meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh Sunday commitment to the Mideast peace roadmap.
This came during a news conference after the meeting which gathered US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Quartet envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Javier Solana, European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Fererro-Waldner, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Ban Ki-Moon called on the international community to give a chance for the two states solution for Palestinians and Israelis, affirming it was paramount to the peace process in the region. Both sides affirmed their commitment to the process, stated the UN Chief, adding that the Spring of 2009 would be a right moment for a peace conference to be scheduled in Moscow.
Backing up Palestinian economy is a vital aspect in the roadmap plan for peace and the international community should focus on backing up Palestinians, he said.
Ban Ki-Moon said that stopping Jewish settlements from spreading was also an initial part of the plan. The current meeting is very promising and hopefully would result in a step forward for peace.
He also called Palestinians to unite for the sake of peace.
Condoleezza Rice, Sergei Lavrov, Tony Blair, and other participants stressed it was vital to continue efforts for peace, affirming that a lot had been achieved since the Annapolis conference in the US until this moment.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abdul-Gheit also had an input on the matter, saying that parties involved in the process must focus on issues of conflict such as the status of Jerusalem, the return of Palestinian refugees, and the nature of future relations between Israel and Palestine.
Egypt is going to play an important part in the process and Cairo would also work on finding common grounds amongst Palestinians to achieve national unity