2nd LD Writethru: Middle East Quartet vows to jump-start peace process

he Middle East Quartet on Wednesday announced the intention of another-round efforts to jump-start the peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians, reaffirming the "steadfast commitment" to achieving a two-state solution.

The Quartet is a diplomatic group which includes the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States in search of the two-state solution, which, widely backed by the international community, means a secure Israel to live in peace with an independent State of Palestine.

"The Quartet emphasizes the importance of constructive international contributions to advancing a comprehensive peace, and affirmed that it will continue its outreach efforts," said a statement issued here.

The statement came after a meeting of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and Federica Mogherini, the European Union high representative for common foreign and security policy, which took place here on the sidelines of the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly.

The Quartet agreed to consult with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, and Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Nabil el-Araby, as part of its regular and direct outreach to key Arab partners. It also agreed to hear from other stakeholders of the international community, said the statement.

"The Quartet reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to achieving a two-state outcome that meets Israeli security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, ends the occupation that began in 1967, and resolves all permanent status issues in order to end the conflict," the statement said.

The Quartet noted with deep concern about recent violence and escalating tensions surrounding the holy sites in Jerusalem and called upon all parties to exercise restraint, refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric, and preserve the status quo unchanged at the holy sites in both word and practice, it said.

"The Quartet expressed its serious concern that current trends on the ground -- including continued acts of violence against Palestinians and Israelis, ongoing settlement activity, and the high rate of demolitions of Palestinian structures -- are dangerously imperiling the viability of a two-state solution," the statement said. "The Quartet condemned in the strongest possible terms violence against Israeli and Palestinian civilians and reiterated that unilateral actions by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of a negotiated solution."

The Quartet stressed that the Palestinian commitment to building institutions, improving governance, and strongly opposing incitement and violence in all forms remains critically important to laying the groundwork for a viable independent Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel.

While urging an immediate focus on accelerating efforts to address the dire situation in Gaza and emphasizing the importance of increased access through legal crossings, the Quartet called on all international partners to expedite the disbursement of their pledges made at the Cairo Conference in October 2014.

"The Quartet stands ready to support initiatives to advance these objectives in order to achieve a comprehensive two-state solution," the statement said. "The Quartet stressed the importance of continued support from key stakeholders in the region and noted the significance and importance of the Arab Peace Initiative with its vision for a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the opportunity for building a regional security framework."

"The Quartet Envoys will engage directly with the parties in order to explore concrete actions both sides can take to demonstrate their genuine commitment to pursuing a two-state solution, including encouraging efforts to agree on significant steps, consistent with prior agreements, that benefit Israelis and Palestinians," the statement added. Endit