Quartet mediators to discuss Israeli-Palestinian talks in Munich
U.S. Secretary of State Kerry to brief officials from the U.S., UN, EU and Russia; Ashton says bold decisions need to be made.
By Barak Ravid and Reuters | Jan. 31, 2014
Officials from the United States, United Nations, Russia and the European Union will meet on Saturday to discuss how they can help U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's drive for a Middle East peace deal, the EU said on Friday.
The officials from the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators will meet in Munich on the sidelines of the annual security conference there.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she would chair the meeting with Kerry, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Tony Blair, the Quartet's special envoy to the Middle East.
"This meeting takes place in a moment when difficult and bold decisions need to be made," Ashton said in a statement ahead of the meeting. "The dividends of peace for Israelis and Palestinians are enormous."
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.571755