CAIRO: The Middle East Quartet released a statement after meeting in the UN headquarters on Sunday expressing support for the US-sponsored peace conference for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well as their objection to the Israeli cut off of power to Gaza. A joint statement released by the members after they had been briefed by their new envoy Tony Blair stated, "The Quartet recognized the present opportunity for progress and the robust regional and international desire for peace in the Middle East, and as such "expressed support for the international meeting on Israeli-Palestinian peace called for by President Bush in his July 16 statement. The principals of the Quartet were represented by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, High Representative for European Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado and European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner. They agreed that the conference "should be substantive and serious, providing support to the parties in their bilateral discussions and negotiations in order to move forward urgently on a successful path to a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza that will unite all Palestinians. Arab countries voiced their disquiet over the ambiguity surrounding the conference, which is tentatively scheduled for November. In statements to the press after the quartet meeting, Rice indicated that the Arabs might get their wish of tackling the "final status issues of Jerusalem, the final borders delineating the Palestinian state and the right of return. "Of course we will have to discuss the core issues, she said; a comment that might not be welcomed by staunch US ally Israel, which prefers that a statement of intent be pursued at the conference rather than a discussion on these core issues. Israeli commentators have downplayed the importance of the conference, claiming that there is no need to accede too much to an American president in his last year of office. The Quartet also criticized Israeli intentions to cut off fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip after having declared it an "enemy entity. The Quartet "expressed concern over conditions in Gaza. It agreed on the importance of continued emergency and humanitarian assistance without obstruction, and also "expressed its urgent concern over the continued closure of major crossing points given the impact on the Palestinian economy and daily life. After the meeting, Russia denied that weapons it sold to Syria were funnelled to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah is considered a terrorist group by Russia's fellow members of the Quartet the US and EU.
