ANNAN WELCOMES JERUSALEM SUMMIT BETWEEN SHARON AND ABBAS
New York, Jun 21 2005 11:00AM
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the meeting in Jerusalem between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
According to a statement issued by a UN spokesman in New York, the Secretary-General has been following events
concerning the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory carefully as the announced15 August 2005 date for Israeli
withdrawal from Gaza and the northern West Bank approaches. “He welcomes the meeting today between Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and looks forward to evaluating the situation
at the meeting of the Quartet in London later this week,” the statement said.
Mr. Annan, who is in Europe, will, on Thursday, attend a meeting at Principals' Level in London of the diplomatic
Quartet – the UN, European Union, Russia and the United States – which are co-sponsors of the Road Map peace plan for
the Middle East.
The plan calls for parallel and reciprocal steps by Israel and the Palestinians leading to two States living in peace
and security, originally targeted for the end of this year.
ENDS