Security Council

4578^th Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS JOINT STATEMENT BY QUARTET

ENGAGED IN FACILITATION OF MIDEAST PEACE PROCESS

In Presidential Statement, Council Also Acknowledges

Involvement of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia in Quartet Deliberations

The Security Council today expressed support for the Joint Statement of the “Quartet” of international bodies -- United Nations, Russian Federation, United States, European Union -- engaged in the Middle East peace process.  That statement was issued in New York on 16 July by the Secretary-General, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Secretary of State of the United States, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the High Representative for the European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy, and the European Commissioner for External Affairs.

In a statement read out by its President, Jeremy Greenstock (United Kingdom), the Council also called on Israel, the Palestinian Authority and all States in the region to cooperate with efforts to achieve the goals set out in the Joint Statement.  It stressed the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, and the principle of land for peace.

In addition, the Council appreciated the involvement in discussions with the “Quartet” of senior representatives of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

The meeting, which began at 1:10 p.m., adjourned at 1:13 p.m.

Presidential Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2002/20 reads, as follows:

"The Security Council supports the Joint Statement of the ‘Quartet’, annexed to this statement, which was issued in New York on 16 July 2002 by the Secretary-General, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Secretary of State of the United States, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the High Representative for the European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy, and the European Commissioner for External Affairs.  The Security Council appreciates also the involvement in discussions with the ‘Quartet’ of senior representatives of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

"The Security Council calls upon the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and all States in the reign to cooperate with the efforts to achieve the goals set out in the Joint Statement and stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its resolutions, including its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973 and 1397 (2002), the Madrid terms of reference and the principle of land for peace."

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