The Middle East Quartet – the diplomatic grouping bringing together the UN, the European Union, Russia and the United States – met at UN Headquarters in New York on the margins of the annual high-level debate of the General Assembly.

The meeting is the first time in one and a half years that the members of the Quartet have met at the level of principals and it follows the most recent round of direct talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians held last month. The Quartet called on all parties to take every possible step to promote conditions conducive to the success of the negotiating process and to refrain from actions that undermine trust or prejudge final status issues.

“The Quartet reaffirmed its determination to lend effective support to the efforts of the parties and their shared commitment to reach a permanent status agreement within the agreed goal of nine months,” the group said in a statement.

It commended the leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and their commitment to remaining engaged in sustained and continuous negotiations to address all of the core issues.

During the meeting, the Quartet received an update from US Secretary of State John Kerry on the progress in the talks since talks resumed on 29 July, as well as a joint briefing on the negotiations by the chief negotiators from both sides.

The group also discussed efforts to boost support to the Palestinian economy, as well as the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the importance of both sides demonstrating a commitment to improving the atmosphere for the negotiations.

The other principals participating in the meeting were UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union Catherine Ashton.

They were joined by Quartet Representative Tony Blair and by Israeli chief negotiator Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat.

In a statement, the Quartet members – the UN, the European Union, Russia and the United States – welcomed the announcement by US Secretary of State John Kerry that the talks between the two sides resumed in Washington yesterday.

The two lead negotiators at the US-brokered talks were Israeli justice minister Tzipi Livni and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat.

“The Quartet commends both President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu for taking this courageous decision in the interest of their peoples,” the statement said, adding that the group is determined to lend its effective support to the efforts of the parties and their shared commitment to achieve a negotiated two-State solution within the agreed timeframe of nine months.

Further to the statement, the Quartet reiterated its calls on all parties to take every possible step to promote conditions conducive to the success of the negotiating process and to refrain from actions that undermine trust.

“The Quartet expresses its appreciation for the efforts of President Obama and Secretary Kerry in helping the parties reach agreement to resume negotiations,” the statement said, also commending the Arab League for its constructive role in support of renewed negotiations, including its reaffirmation of the Arab Peace Initiative.

The Quartet also recognized many others in the international community for their important contributions, and expressed hope that such efforts will continue.

“While noting that much hard work lies ahead, the Quartet expresses its hope that renewed negotiations will be substantive and continuous and set a clear path towards a two-State solution, the end of conflict, and lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians,” the diplomatic envoys said, expressing the intention to meet soon to discuss next steps.

“Ending the conflict in Syria is a matter of great urgency and must be the top priority of the international community,” said Robert Serry, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. “At the same time, it would be mistaken, and dangerous, to assume that a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is less important.

“Now is not the time to relent in our commitment to advancing the prospects for the resumption of meaningful talks towards the realization of a two-State solution. This is the time for concerted action in support of a substantive initiative lest we miss the slight opening that has been offered in recent months.”

Serry said he was encouraged by the renewed United States effort and sustained personal engagement of its Secretary of State, John Kerry. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also remained in close contact with the parties and there has been renewed interest by regional stakeholders.

In separate conversations last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Ban strongly encouraged the ongoing efforts towards the resumption of peace talks, and expressed his hope that they will lead to a substantial peace initiative soon.

Amid efforts to revive the peace process, Serry stressed the importance for the parties to create the conditions conducive to a resumption of meaningful negotiations and avoid actions that would risk undermining such prospects.

“The risk to both sides is clear… it is crucial that both sides reverse negative trends on the ground and restore confidence in each other and in the possibility of a solution.”

The Special Coordinator said he was troubled by “recent tensions around the sensitive issue of Jerusalem, particularly when it came to restrictions of access to holy sites.” He echoed Ban’s call to respect religious freedom for worshippers of all faiths to have access to their holy sites, and called on religious and other leaders to refrain from inflammatory statements.

“As the efforts underway to develop a meaningful initiative to achieve the negotiated two-State solution are likely to reach a critical point in the coming weeks, we sincerely hope that the leaders on both sides will demonstrate this time their commitment and realize that this is a moment of opportunity they cannot afford to lose,” said Serry.

On Gaza, the envoy warned that the “ceasefire understanding” brokered by Egypt six months earlier had brought a marked improvement during the first three months of its implementation, but that developments over the past three months risked jeopardizing the security and humanitarian improvements made.

He called for maximum efforts to preserve the understanding and to adhere to a full calm, as well as for lifting the remaining closures on Gaza.

“We now have an opening to develop a serious and substantial political initiative to achieve the negotiated two-State solution that we all hope for and that will best serve the interests, rights and aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians alike,” Robert Serry, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said in his briefing to the Security Council.

“The months ahead will not be easy,” he warned. “Both sides will now have to demonstrate political will and determination to make progress, and concerted action by the international community, including the region, will be needed to support their efforts.”

He noted that with people in the Middle East facing a period of “extraordinary challenges and turmoil,” establishing the groundwork necessary for a credible Israeli-Palestinian peace process remains a core priority for the UN. The visit by United States President Barack Obama to the region last week marks an important opportunity to reinvigorate efforts towards a two-State solution, he added.

Both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated their commitment to the two-State solution as essentially the only prospect for the future of Israelis and Palestinians, “while they undeniably differ on its terms, and on how to attain it,” said Serry.

“It is incumbent upon us as the United Nations, and the international community, to help them bridge those differences,” he stated. “Much work lies ahead. We should not underestimate the difficulties, but neither should we belittle the real possibility to overcome them.

“It is now time for all of us to come together in concerted action and support a serious international initiative, including through a revitalized Quartet that engages more broadly with key Arab partners, regional and other stakeholders,” he added, referring to the diplomatic grouping bringing together the UN, the European Union, Russia and the US.

Serry remarked that efforts currently underway offer the chance for a new beginning and renewed push for serious political progress. “Therein lies the opportunity – but we worry that it will not last if the volatile situation on the ground is not urgently addressed at the same time. Both parties should undertake constructive steps and work to reverse negative trends.”

In this context, he noted that there were no new settlement announcements during the past month and three structures in settlement outposts were demolished on 18 March. The period also registered fewer incursions by Israeli security forces in the West Bank, as well as a decrease in demolitions of Palestinian structures.

“It is now our hope that these initial signals of reversing the negative measures on the ground will take hold and create a conducive environment for a meaningful political process to take shape,” he stated.

Overall, the levels of violence remained high, Mr. Serry said, noting that several clashes took place during protests, including in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners; settler violence against Palestinians continued, injuring six; and Israeli security sources have reported an increase in stone throwing, including against settlers, injuring a total of 10 during the past month.

He also voiced concern about the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody, as well as the “serious setback” caused by rocket firing from Gaza into Israel for the second time since last November’s ceasefire.

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, told an open debate of the Security Council that “quiet direct exchanges” between the parties are ongoing in an attempt to reach agreement on a package of measures that would create an environment conducive to talks and pave the way for high-level contacts.

The Israelis and the Palestinians have yet to resume direct negotiations since talks stalled in September 2010, after Israel refused to extend its freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Both Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have, in recent months, reiterated their desire to negotiate.

“In sum, the effort to restart direct talks has not reached a breaking point, but there has not been a breakthrough either and that is increasingly a concern,” said Serry. “While talks remain stalled, events on the ground continue to move in the wrong direction.”

Among other things, the Palestinian Authority faces an acute challenge in maintaining its solvency. It announced at the start of the year that it owed $1.1 billion in bank loans and $400 million to the private sector. It also expects a $1 billion shortfall in funding towards its $3.5 billion budget for 2012.

In addition, settlement announcements continued this month, as have clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians, Palestinian attacks on Israelis in the West Bank, and violence in Gaza.

“The international community should understand that, absent a credible political horizon for the establishment of a Palestinian State living side-by-side in peace and security with Israel, its own efforts in pursuit of this goal will increasingly lack credibility,” Serry told the meeting, which was expected to hear from around 40 delegations.

“The parties must now do their part to overcome admittedly difficult obstacles and take the steps necessary to enable an environment conducive to serious engagement,” he added. “But I fear time is running out.”

The envoy also reported on the increasing violence in Syria, and the possible spill-over to other countries in the region, adding that nowhere else does the impact of the Syrian crisis loom larger than in Lebanon.

He cited a continuing pattern of Syrian army violations of the Lebanese-Syrian border, including intermittent shelling from Syria, as well as cross-border incidents and a brief incursion by Syrian soldiers.

Adding to the almost 30,000 Syrian refugees registered with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the surge in the number of Syrians crossing into Lebanon last week was estimated at some 18,000 over a two-day period, many of whom have travelled back into Syria.

Over 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 16 months ago.

MEPs welcome the exchange of letters between the two parties initiated on 17 April 2012 and the joint statement by Israel and the Palestinian Authority of 12 May 2012, in which they state their commitment to achieving peace. However, MEPs also voice grave concerns about developments in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

The resolution was passed with 291 votes in favour; 274 against and 39 abstentions.

The resolution calls on Israel to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law by securing an immediate end to house demolitions, evictions and forced displacement of Palestinians, facilitating their free movement, ensuring fair distribution of water to meet their needs and improving their access to social services, in particular education and public health, in Area C and in East Jerusalem. The Palestinian authorities are also encouraged to do more to improve living conditions in the two areas.

MEPs urge that EU-Israeli bilateral agreements be properly enforced, so as to ensure that goods from Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements are not exported to the EU under the preferential terms of the EU-Israel Association agreement. They also call on the European External Action Service and the European Commission to investigate allegations of damage done to EU-funded structures in the occupied territories and report back to Parliament.

Parliament reiterates that only a peaceful and non-violent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be sustainable and that it should not affect the dignity of either side. The EU will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, unless they are agreed by the parties themselves, MEPs underline.

They also urge the EU and its member states to play a more active political role in achieving a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians and voice support for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton’s efforts to create credible prospects for re-launching the peace process.

During the meeting, a brief report was presented to the leaders on the financial situation of the country, written by outgoing Prime Minister Lucas Papademos.

According to media reports, Antonis Samaras blamed Alexis Tsipras for not agreeing to support a coalition government with ND, PASOK and Democratic Left, headed by Fotis Kouvelis. The latter had said that he would only enter an administration with ND and PASOK if SYRIZA joined as well.

“They are not asking for agreement, they are asking us to be their partners in crime and we will not be their accomplices,” said Alexis Tsipras. “The memorandum has been rejected by the Greek people. No government has the right to apply it,” he added. “The issue is the austerity measures the Greek people have suffered for two years.”

“Despite the impasse at the meeting we had with the president, I hold on to some limited optimism that a government can be formed,” said Venizelos. “The moment of truth has come. We either form a government or we go to elections.” (protothema.gr)

Samaras was the only leader to make a statement to journalists before the meeting with Papoulias. “The Greek people have not just sent a message, they have issued an order to change policy but to remain in Europe,” he said according to Kathimerini. “It is an order to cooperate and form a viable government that will last until the European elections. It has to be a government that is above and beyond specific personalities.”

Samaras’s comment was in line with what was agreed with PASOK and Democratic Left earlier this week. The three parties agreed that an ecumenical government should be formed with the aim of staying in power until 2014.

President Papoulias’ meetings with the rest of political leaders of parties entering the Parliament (Democratic Left, Independent Greeks, Communist Party, Golden Dawn) were concluded yesterday evening.

Independent Greeks leader Panos Kammenos acknowledged the need a government to be formed, presenting a series of conditions for his party’s participation in a national unity government scheme.

A second meeting of the political leaders is scheduled later this evening, although Tsipras said that he would not attend.

If no deal is reached, a caretaker government will be appointed, headed by the president of the Supreme Court, Council of State or the Court of Audit.

IMF team’s purpose was to meet with key stakeholders in the country, including political and parliamentary leaders. This is to make sure that if and when a programme is agreed that there is a clear understanding on both sides about the support needed for implementing policies.

Asked during a news briefing about IMF’s response to criticism that it is negotiating with an unelected military government in a way that the parliament opposes, Hawley said: “the purpose of the mission that has just wrapped up in Cairo is to consult broadly with stakeholders in Egypt to ensure that should there be a program, that it enjoys broad political and social support.”