Annan Hosts Meeting Of Diplomatic Quartet On Search For Middle East Peace
Secretary-General Kofi Annan joined his colleagues from the European Union (EU), Russian Federation and United States at
United Nations Headquarters in New York today for a high-level meeting of the so-called diplomatic Quartet seeking to
bring peace to the Middle East.
The Quartet is the sponsor of the Road Map peace plan, which calls for Israel and the Palestinians to take a series of
parallel and reciprocal steps leading to two states living side-by-side in peace by 2005.
Also attending were US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister Ryan
Cowan of Ireland, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, EU High Representative Javier Solana and EU
External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten.
Following the meeting the principals are scheduled to hold a news conference.