Quartet calls on Syria to take immediate measures and close Islamic Jihad movement offices

The Quartet which sponsors the ME peace process and composed of the USA, Russia, the UN and the European Union called on Syria to take immediate measures to close the offices of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement and prevent the use of its lands by armed groups that carry out terrorist acts."

The statement which was read by US Department Of State spokesman Sean McCormack came after a telephone call between the UN secretary general Kofi Annan and the foreign ministers of each of Russia Surgey Lavrov; the USA Condaleezza Rice and the British foreign office secretary Jack Straw and the higher representative of the EU foreign policy Javier Solana.

McCormack indivated that the Palestinian authority has recently joined Quartet members by expressing concern over the support given to groups like the Islamic Jihad which is no longer committed to the truce declared with Israel in February, as he alleged.