UNITED
NATIONS,
February 8 --
The Quartet
from Munich
has just
released this
statement,
nine days
after Inner
City Press
first reported
that Robert
Serry was
being replaced
for the UN on
the Quarter by
Nickolay
Mladenov:
Representatives
of the Quartet
– Russian
Foreign
Minister
Sergey Lavrov,
United States
Secretary of
State John
Kerry,
European Union
High
Representative
for Common
Foreign and
Security
Policy,
Federica
Mogherini, and
UN Deputy
Secretary
General Jan
Eliasson
(representing
UN Secretary
General Ban
Ki-Moon) - met
in Munich on
February
8.
Recalling
its previous
statements,
the Quartet
discussed the
situation in
the region.
The Quartet
underlined the
importance of
the parties
resuming
negotiations
as soon as
possible, with
a view to
reaching a
just, lasting
and
comprehensive
peace on the
basis of UN
Security
Council
resolutions
242 and 338,
the Madrid
Principles
including land
for peace and
the agreements
previously
reached
between the
parties. A
sustainable
peace requires
the
Palestinians'
aspirations
for statehood
and
sovereignty
and those of
Israelis for
security to be
fulfilled
through
negotiations
based on the
two-state
solution.
To
that end, the
Quartet
recalled the
importance of
the Arab Peace
Initiative -
with its
vision for a
comprehensive
settlement of
the
Arab-Israeli
conflict - and
the vital role
of Arab
partners. The
Quartet will
remain
actively
engaged in
preparing for
a resumption
of the peace
process in the
coming period,
including
regular and
direct
outreach to
Arab states.
Pending
the resumption
of
negotiations,
the Quartet
called on both
parties to
refrain from
actions that
undermine
trust or
prejudge final
status issues.
The
Quartet
underscored
the importance
of ensuring
that the acute
fiscal
challenges
faced by the
Palestinians
are addressed
and of
supporting
Palestinian
institution-building
efforts.
The
Quartet is
deeply
concerned over
the difficult
situation in
Gaza where the
pace of
reconstruction
needs to be
accelerated to
address the
basic needs of
the
Palestinian
population and
to ensure
stability. The
Quartet
Principals
stressed that
donor funding
is critical.
They expressed
support for
the recent
joint letter
by Egypt and
Norway, as
well as the
joint
statement by
the
Secretary-Generals
of the United
Nations and
the League of
Arab States,
urging donors
to disburse as
soon as
possible their
financial
commitments
made at the
October 2014
Cairo
Conference,
including the
funding of UN
agencies
carrying out
vital
operations in
Gaza for both
the refugee
and
non-refugee
populations.
The
Quartet
Principals
expressed
their warm
appreciation
for the
tireless work
of outgoing UN
Special
Coordinator
for the Middle
East Peace
Process,
Robert Serry.
The
UN's new
Middle East
coordinator
will be
Nickolay
Mladenov,
Inner City
Press was able to report exclusively on January 30,
with sourcing
from Permanent
Representatives
that the
letter, which
Inner City
Press saw, had
gone to the
Security
Council.
Of this
exclusive
report, at
least 11 hours
before any
other mention,
Inner City
Press on
February 2
directly asked
UN Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric,
including
though what
process and
timing
Mladenov is to
be replaced in
Iraq.
Dujarric
declined to
confirm,
despite the
Secretary
General's
letter. Video
here. Only
later did the
UN confirm,
and others
report.
Earlier, Inner
City Press
reported that
Mladenov was
leaving his
post as UN
envoy to Iraq;
before that,
Inner City
Press asked
Robert Serry
how he was
remaining in
the Middle
East post past
Ban Ki-moon's
stated five
year rule, and
despite PNG
(persona non
grata) threats
from Israel.
Now, the
switch is
being made.
The
hint, as to
Iraq, was as
Inner City
Press
exclusively
reported, the
UK's attempt
to pick
Mladenov's
successor.
That was
opposed, and
rejected. Now,
after a “rude”
call from UK
Prime Minister
Cameron to Ban
Ki-moon,
sources say
rather than
Cameron's
first pick
Andrew
Lansley, UK
candidate
Caroline
Spelman is in
the lead.
Picking
Mladenov's
successor in
Iraq is in its
final stages,
and we will
have more on
that soon.
Watch this
site.
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