Key parties reaffirm commitment to road map to Mideast peace

The architects of the road map to Mideast peace reaffirmed their commitment to the stalled plan ahead of a Security Council ministerial meeting today where Arab nations are hoping to revive efforts to end the Arab-Israel conflict.

Leaders of the so-called Quartet – the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia – met yesterday and issued a statement stressing the need for “a credible political process” to make progress toward the goal of two peaceful, democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan hosted the meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, a day before the Security Council holds a meeting of foreign ministers at the urging of the Arab League to take a fresh look at how to end Israel’s conflicts with the Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese.

In a statement issued at the end of the meeting, the Quartet “stressed the urgent need to make progress towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.”

The Quartet also “expressed its concern at the grave crisis in Gaza and the continued stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians".