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Quartet seeks Israeli-Palestinian talks

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UN Middle East coordinator Robert Serry said yesterday that the Quartet group is aiming to hold separate meetings with Israeli and Palestinian representatives in order to revive peace talks between the two sides. Serry added that the plan was to meet the two sides separately next week in Brussels.

The Quartet representatives plan to talk to each side on the core issues blocking progress in the peace process. The issues include borders for a Palestinian state, security issues, the status of Jerusalem and the fate for Palestinian refugees. Direct talks between the two sides stalled in September after the 10-month settlement construction moratorium expired. The US and the international community have since failed to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. While, US President Barack Obama set a target for September 2011 to reach an agreement, this seems optimistic due to the fact that no talks are taking place at the moment. Serry added that the Quartet will bring suggestions to the two sides that could be a basis to restart the negotiations. He also noted that the sides may want to see the outcomes of the anti-government protests taking place across the Middle East to see what kind of new Middle East emerges from the current situation.