Quartet aiming to breathe life into Middle East talks

THE Quartet of Middle East peace mediators sought yesterday to keep alive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks although political uncertainty in Israel has scotched hopes for a deal this year.

The quartet is the EU, Russia, the UN and the US and they strongly backed the talks launched at Annapolis, Maryland, nearly a year ago by US president George W Bush, despite expectations he will fail to meet his year-end target.

The talks have been hindered from the start by violence and bitter disputes over Jewish settlement building and the future status of Jerusalem, and the process could fall apart amid political transitions in Israel and the US.