Egypt to Host Mideast Quartet in November
Egypt will host a meeting of Middle East peace mediators in November in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to try to keep peace talks moving, a spokesman for President Hosni Mubarak said on Monday. The so-called Quartet (United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations) has been trying to breathe life into the stalled peace process according to Reuters.
“Egypt will host a meeting of the international Quartet in Sharm el-Sheikh next month,” Mubarak spokesman Suleiman Awad said in remarks carried on state news agency MENA. Awad said the Quartet, in particular the European Union, needed to work to keep up momentum to ensure the quick resumption of peace talks after the formation of new Israeli and US governments.
Awad gave no details on what level the meeting would be held, nor say when exactly it would be held. Egypt is also planning to host Palestinian reconciliation talks next month. Israeli and Palestinian diplomats have been attempting to negotiate a peace deal that could be finalized before US President George W. Bush steps down in January, although both sides now doubt an agreement can be reached in this time frame.
Ahmad Aljoaan
