Russia will seek ways to resume Middle East Quartet’s work - Lavrov

MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Moscow will take active steps to resume the work of the Middle East Quartet as the lack of dialogue further escalates tensions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday. "Russia will be actively seeking the resumption of a comprehensive work of the Quartet of international mediators on the Middle East settlement," Lavrov said after talks with the delegation of a ministerial contact group of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Palestine and East Jerusalem. The lack of contacts between the sides deteriorates the situation as "new negative factors emerge leading to further escalation and aggravation of the living conditions of the Palestinians on their own territories," the minister said. Lavrov reminded that the meeting of the Quartet was held at the ministerial level on February 8 in Munich. The sides adopted a decision to step up contacts between the Quartet and the key Arab states, and also with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. "Based on this fundamental understanding, Russia wants the dialogue on these issues, which is crucial for the region’s fate, to become not just a formality but be aimed at searching for practical solutions," Lavrov said. At their meeting in Munich, the representatives of the Middle East Quartet called for resuming talks on the Palestinian-Israeli settlement as soon as possible. The talks were attended by Lavrov, US Secretary of State John Kerry, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson. The Quartet expressed its deep concern 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." Read more