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Quartet Statement
on the Middle East Peace Process
28 November 2005
Representatives of the Quartet – U.N. Secretary General
Kofi Annan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.K. Foreign
Secretary Jack Straw, High Representative for European
Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, and
European Commissioner for External Relations Benita
Ferrero-Waldner – spoke on the situation in the Middle
East.
The Quartet condemns the October 26 terrorist attack on
the Hadera market, responsibility for which was claimed
by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, headquartered in Damascus.
The Quartet urges the Syrian government to take
immediate action to close the offices of Palestinian
Islamic Jihad and to prevent the use of its territory by
armed groups engaged in terrorist acts.
The Quartet denounces all acts of terrorism and urges
all parties to exercise restraint, avoid an escalation
of violence, and keep the channels of communication
open. The Quartet strongly encourages and supports the
Palestinian Authority in its immediate effort to take
steps to prevent armed groups from acting against law
and order and the policy of the Authority itself.
The Quartet believes it is imperative that all involved
act decisively to ensure that terror and violence are
not allowed to undermine further progress in accordance
with the Roadmap.
The Quartet will remain seized of these matters. |