 |
Quartet Roadmap to Israeli-Palestinian Peace |
| Middle East | peacewatch | top stories | documents | culture | dialog | history | Maps | donations |
|
Quartet Roadmap to Israeli-Palestinian Peace |
| Middle East | peacewatch | top stories | documents | culture | dialog | history | Maps | donations |
Introduction
Representatives from the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia formed a group known as the "The Quartet," which began to shape international policy toward resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Quartet issued the statement below regarding a road map for peace on September 17, 2002. The program is an outline that is evolving over time. Palestinians and Israelis have greeted each version with various reservations. At present writing (November) fighting continues, and there is no real evidence of implementation of any part of the plan. In October, President Bush issued his version of a more detailed roadmap, based on Israeli and Palestinian input. Another version was issued in December, 2002 and a third one was leaked unofficially in April, 2003.
Ami Isseroff
Notice - Copyright
This introduction is Copyright 2002 by MidEastweb http://www.mideastweb.org and the author. Please tell your friends about MidEastWeb and link to this page. Please do not copy this page to your Web site. You may print this page out for classroom use provided that this notice is appended, and you may cite this material in the usual way. Other uses by permission only. The source material below reproduced in accordance with EU copyright policy that governs it, as stated at the Web site of origin.
Representatives of the United Nations, Russia, the European Union, and the
United States, known collectively as the "Quartet," released a statement September 17 outlining their plan to reach a
final peaceful settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.
In what the statement described as a "concrete, three-phase implementation roadmap," the Quartet envisioned a political
settlement between the two sides within three years.
"The plan will not succeed unless it addresses political, economic, humanitarian, and institutional dimensions and
should spell out reciprocal steps to be taken by the parties in each of its phases," said the statement, adding that
comprehensive security performance by both sides "is essential."
The first phase of the implementation plan, ending in mid 2003, calls for an Israeli withdrawal to positions it occupied
in September 2000, and for the Palestinians to hold "free, fair, and credible elections." The Quartet also proposed that
an Ad Hoc Liaison Committee be formed "to review the humanitarian situation and prospects for economic development in
the West Bank and Gaza and identify priority areas for donor assistance, including to the reform process."
Following the completion of the first phase, the Quartet proposed the creation of a Palestinian state "with provisional
borders based upon a new constitution," leading to a final phase of negotiations between the two parties aimed at
achieving a permanent solution.
"Consistent with the vision expressed by President Bush, this means that the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 will
be ended through a settlement negotiated between the parties and based on U.N. resolutions 242 and 338, with Israeli
withdrawal to secure and recognized borders," said the statement.
The Quartet members agreed to intensify their efforts towards ending the violence and to achieve a settlement between
Israel and its Syrian and Lebanese neighbors. The statement also described the peace proposal put forward by Saudi
Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah and endorsed by the Arab League in March 2002 as a "vital plan" of "continuing
importance."
Following is the text of a September 17 statement issued by the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the
United States (the Quartet):
(begin text)
Statement of the Quartet
New York, 17 September 2002
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov,
Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller, High Representative for European Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier
Solana, and European Commissioner for External Affairs Chris Patten met today in New York.
Reaffirming their previous statements, the Quartet members reviewed developments since their last meeting, on July 16,
2002. They deplored and condemned the morally repugnant violence and terror, which must end. They agreed to intensify
their efforts in support of their shared goal of achieving a final Israeli-Palestinian settlement based on their common
vision, as inter alia expressed by President Bush, of two states, Israel and an independent, viable and democratic
Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.
The Quartet will continue to encourage all parties to step up to their responsibilities to seek a just and comprehensive
settlement to the conflict based on UN Security Council resolutions 242, 338, and 1397, the Madrid terms of reference,
the principle of land for peace, and implementation of all existing agreements between the parties. The Quartet
reaffirms the continuing importance of the initiative of Saudi Arabia, endorsed at the Arab League Beirut Summit, which
is a vital plan of the foundation of international efforts to promote a comprehensive peace on all tracks, including the
Syrian-Israeli and Lebanese-Israeli tracks.
The Quartet is working closely with the parties and consulting key regional actors on a concrete, three-phase
implementation roadmap that could achieve a final settlement within three years. Comprehensive security performance is
essential. The plan will not succeed unless it addresses political, economic, humanitarian, and institutional dimensions
and should spell out reciprocal steps to be taken by the parties in each of its phases. In this approach, progress
between the three phases would be strictly based on the parties' compliance with specific performance benchmarks to be
monitored and assessed by the Quartet.
The Quartet also supports, in preparation for establishment of a Palestinian state, efforts by the Palestinians to
develop a constitution which ensures separation of power, transparency, accountability, and the vibrant political system
which Palestinians deserve.
The plan will contain in its initial phase (2002-first half of 2003) performance-based criteria for comprehensive
security reform, Israeli withdrawals to their positions of September 28, 2000 as the security situation improves, and
support for the Palestinians' holding of free, fair, and credible elections early in 2003, based on recommendations
established by the Quartet's International Task Force on Palestinian Reform. The first phase should include a
ministerial-level meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) to review the humanitarian situation and prospects for
economic development in the West Bank and Gaza and identify priority areas for donor assistance, including to the reform
process, before the end of the year. The Quartet Principals will meet alongside the AHLC ministerial.
In the plan's second phase (2003), our efforts should focus on the option of creating a Palestinian state with
provisional borders based upon a new constitution, as a way station to a permanent status settlement.
In its final phase (2004-5), the plan envisages Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at a permanent status solution in
2005. Consistent with the vision expressed by President Bush, this means that the Israeli occupation that began in 1967
will be ended through a settlement negotiated between the parties and based on U.N. resolutions 242 and 338, with
Israeli withdrawal to secure and recognized borders.
The Quartet welcomes the Task Force's report on the progress of the seven Reform Support Groups, and notes that a number
of significant achievements, especially in the area of financial reform, have been realized in a short period of time
under very difficult circumstances. Under the aegis of the Quartet, the Task Force will continue its work of supporting
the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority as they establish and prioritize reform benchmarks, particularly on the
issues of elections, judicial reform, and the role of civil society.
Both the reform effort and the political process must include Israeli measures, consistent with Israel's legitimate
security concerns, to improve the lives of Palestinians, including allowing the resumption of normal economic activity,
facilitating the movement of goods, people, and essential services and to lift curfew and closures. Consistent with
transparent and accountable Palestinian budget arrangements, the Quartet welcomes Israel's decision to transfer part of
the Palestinian VAT and customs revenue that has been withheld since September 2000, and calls on Israel to continue
this process and reestablish regular monthly revenue transfers to the Palestinian Ministry of Finance. And consistent
with the recommendations of the Mitchell Commission, Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories must stop.
The Quartet welcomes the report of UN Secretary-General's Personal Humanitarian Envoy Catherine Bertini as well as the
latest UNSCO report on the impact of closures. It calls on Israel and the Palestinians to recognize and act upon their
respective responsibilities and to move quickly to ameliorate the sharply deteriorating humanitarian situation in the
West Bank and Gaza. In particular, Israel must ensure full, safe and unfettered access for international and
humanitarian personnel.
Reiterating the critical importance of restoring lasting calm through comprehensive performance on security, the Quartet
calls on the Palestinians to work with the U.S. and regional partners to reform the Palestinian security services,
strengthen policing and law and order for the civilian population, and tight the terror that has severely undermined the
legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians. Israelis and Palestinians should reestablish security cooperation and
reciprocal steps should be taken by Israel as the Palestinians work to combat terrorism in all its forms.
The Quartet will continue to discuss the timing and modalities of an international conference.
The Quartet also met and discussed these issues with the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and
Syria, as representatives of the Arab League Follow-up Committee, and with representatives of Israel anti the
Palestinian Authority. The Quartet looks forward to continuing consultations.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)