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Quartet expected to publish report on peace process today
A much anticipated report by the Middle East Quartet (US, Russia, EU and UN) on the prospects of advancing the stalled peace process is expected to be published today.
The United Nations’ (UN) Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov, who is among the report’s authors, has briefed the UN Security Council on its contents and urged the body to support its findings. Mladenov told the Security Council: “The main objective of this report is not about assigning blame.” He said: “It focuses on the major threats to achieving a negotiated peace and offers recommendations on the way forward.”
In particular, said Mladenov, Israel should “implement positive and significant policy shifts, particularly in Area C of the West Bank, consistent with the idea of transitioning to greater Palestinian civilian authority as contemplated by prior agreements”. He said: “Progress in housing, water, energy, agriculture and natural resources can be made while respecting Israel’s legitimate security need.”
Mladenov also explained that Palestinian violence and incitement is an obstacle to peace. He said: “A peaceful future for both people cannot emerge on the back of statements that glorify terror and justify killing.”
He added: “mutual respect cannot come as a result of stabbings, shootings and car-rammings.”
Mladenov also said that “these negative trends can and must be urgently reversed in order to advance the two-state solution on the ground”. However, he added: “Let me be unequivocally clear that a permanent status agreement ending the conflict can only be achieved through direct, bilateral negotiations.”
Israeli leaders have reiterated their scepticism over a French initiative for a multi-lateral peace conference, insisting that it would merely hand the PA an excuse not to engage in direct talks with Israel and make the concessions necessary by both sides for peace.
Talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) were suspended in April 2014. The Quartet report, which has had publication delayed several times, is intended to give some direction as to how negotiations can be re-started.