Mideast quartet cannot order peace: German FM
Palestine-Germany, Politics, 2/26/2007

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday stressed that the Middle East quartet "cannot order peace" between Israeli and Palestinians only three days after a meeting of the Mideast quartet in Berlin failed to produce any concrete results.

"We should not anticipate any wrong expectations. The Mideast is not a world court which can order peace," Steinmeier said in an interview with the daily Die welt.

He made clear that quartet remained the proper forum for international efforts to coordinate the Israeli- Palestinian rapprochement.

Steinmeier said despite disagreements in the quartet, all sides remained committed to coordinate the Israeli- Palestinian peace dialogue.

The Mideast quartet will soon meet again at the ministerial level, said the German minister who has earlier warned of unrealistic expectations in rejuvenating the Mideast peace process.

The Mideast quartet took a wait-and-see stance on the new Palestinian government of national unity at Wednesday evening's meeting in Berlin.

A carefully-worded statement released by the Mideast quartet reiterated the three preconditions - recognition of Israel, renunciation of violence, and acceptance of all past Israeli- Palestinian peace agreements, for supporting the new Hamas-Fatah government.

The Mideast quartet avoided also any clear support for the new Palestinian power-sharing accord.

While Russia and the European Union have signaled their support for the formation of the Palestinian government, the US has repeatedly expressed strong doubts whether such a government could jump-start the stalled Mideast peace talks.

On Friday German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas agreed during their meeting in Berlin that US-backed road map remained the main guideline in pressing ahead with the Middle East peace process.

"The road map is the way we seek to resolve the problems of our people and to lift the unjust boycott," Abbas said at a joint news conference with Merkel at the chancellery.

The Palestinian leader was pointing to western financial sanctions imposed in January 2006 following the stunning electoral triumph of Hamas in the Palestinian general elections.

Meanwhile Merkel hailed plans for the formation of Palestinian government, reiterating that the new Hamas-Fatah power sharing accord must comply with the principles of the road map.

The German leader warned that "a very difficult road" laid ahead in the fragile Middle East peace process.

"There is much to do on the road to a two-state solution," stressed Merkel who has not missed an occasion to express her die-hard support for Israel.

She also urged continued talks between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

As the rotating European Union Presidency, Germany spearheaded efforts to revive the Mideast quartet comprised of the US, Russia, the UN and EU.

Previous Stories:
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  Peace Now: 268,000 Jewish settlers in West Bank settlements   (2/21/2007)
  EU leaders seek Middle East Quartet meeting   (1/6/2007)
  President Abbas, German FM tackle peace issue   (12/2/2006)
  Anti-Zionist Jewish rabbi slams Germany for supporting Israel   (10/23/2006)

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