Brussels, 24/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - In a press release published at the end of Sunday's meeting on 23 December, the Quartet for the Middle East gave its support to the US project for an international conference on perspectives for creating a Palestinian state. This conference, planned for mid-November in the US, is expected to “provide support to parties in their bilateral discussions and negotiations in order to move forward urgently on a successful path to a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza that will unite all Palestinians”. This statement was stressed by Quartet members (US, EU, Russia and UN) during their New York meeting before the opening on Tuesday 25 September of the UN General Assembly. Negotiations should be “substantial and serious” adds the text of the declaration.
Ratifying the extension until 31 December 2007 of the temporary international mechanism (TIM), the Quartet is hoping that a mechanism will help the transition towards direct international financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority by the end of the year. Resumption of this aid was announced in June but is still not effective and TIM remains a privileged instrument (EUROPE 9448). Israel recently declared the Gaza Strip as a hostile entity and is threatening to impose cuts in fuel and electricity supplies there (EUROPE 9506). The Quartet is also concerned by living conditions in the region and is calling for the “continued provision of essential services”. (ab)