Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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June 22, 2007

Mideast Quartet of Negotiators to Meet Tuesday in Jerusalem
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=17E872F:A6F02AD83191E1607A5E06CCFEDC60439574F7DCC14957C0 Group consisting
of envoys from US, UN, Russia, EU will discuss developments in region





German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, and High
Representative for European Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana
pose before  Middle East 'Quartet' meeting in Berlin, 30 May 2007The
quartet of Middle East peace negotiators will meet Tuesday in
Jerusalem for its first talks since the militant Hamas group took
control of the Gaza Strip.

Officials Friday, confirmed that envoys from the United States, the
United Nations, Russia and the European Union will discuss the latest
developments in the region. Their meeting will follow by one day a
summit in Egypt between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Representatives of Egypt and Jordan also will attend that Monday
meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Peace efforts are being complicated by the emergence of dual
Palestinian governments, with Gaza ruled by Hamas and the West Bank
governed by Mr. Abbas's Fatah group.

The United States, Israel and moderate Arab states are trying to
bolster Mr. Abbas.

In New York, a United Nations spokeswoman says discussions are under
way on a proposal to make outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair a
special Middle East envoy. The spokeswoman said U.S. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice raised the issue Thursday in a phone call with
members of the Quartet, which Mr. Blair would represent as an envoy.

Hamas took control of Gaza last week after days of intense fighting
with Fatah loyalists.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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