Brussels, 10/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in New York on 9 May, the Middle East Quartet said in a statement that it was willing “to endorse a temporary international mechanism that is limited in scope and duration, operates with full transparency and accountability, and ensures direct delivery of assistance to the Palestinian people”. This formula was finally accepted by the United States, which originally opposed the EU proposal to provide aid to the Palestinians through an international organisation (the World Bank, for example). The statement says that, if these criteria are met, the temporary mechanism “should begin as soon as possible and be reviewed after three months to determine whether it should continue”. The Quartet welcomed the “offer of the European Union to develop and propose such a mechanism” and called other donors and international organisations to participate. It has also, in parallel, called on Israel to take steps to improve the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people, and reiterated that the Palestinian Authority government must fulfil its responsibilities with regard to basic human needs, including health services, as well as proper fiscal management and provision of services. The Quartet was encouraged by Prime Minister Olmert's call for negotiations “with a Palestinian partner committed to the principles of the Roadmap”, and “President Abbas' continued commitment to a platform of peace”.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, President of the Council of the EU Ursula Plassnik, High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana, European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergeï Lavrov expressed their appreciation of the work of James Wolfenson as Quartet Special Envoy for Gaza Disengagement (Mr Wolfenson recently resigned because of his reservations about the suspension of aid to the Palestinian Authority after Hamas came to power). In New York on Tuesday, the members of the Quartet also met the Egyptian, Jordanian and Saudi Foreign Ministers to exchange views on regional issues, said the statement.
The Quartet reiterated its deep disquiet over the new Palestinian government's lack of commitment to the principles of non-violence, recognition of Israel and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap, and its concern over Israeli military operations that brought “the loss of innocent life”, and over settlement expansion as it resulted in “the confiscation of Palestinian land” and cut off the movement of people and goods. The Quartet reiterated the importance of “both parties avoiding unilateral measures which prejudice final status issues”.