31/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - Catherine Ashton at Quartet meeting. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton is, on 1 February, to take part at the meeting of members of the Middle East Quartet with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Quartet Envoy Tony Blair. Ahead of the meeting, Ashton said she hoped that “together we can help those decisions to become a reality to continue working towards a negotiated peace agreement, setting an end to the conflict and fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of both parties”. The special representative for the Middle East, whose mandate ended on 31 December 2013, will not be replaced. EEAS Deputy Secretary General Helga Schmid will be taking on the issue. (CG/transl.jl)