Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and EU High Representative For Common Foreign and Security Policy Xavier Solana participate in the talks.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Alexander Yakovenko told RIA Novosti the participants of the Quartet will listen to the report of James Wolfensohn, the coordinator for Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the report of General William Ward, the quartet's security coordinator.
At present, Wolfensohn is preparing an action plan on economic and social rehabilitation of Palestinian territories for the period immediately following the withdrawal of Israeli troops and settlements from the Gaza sector and the West Bank of the Jordan River.
One of the central issues of the discussion during the Quartet meeting in Moscow is the creation of normal conditions for Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza sector and the West Bank of the Jordan River. According to Yakovenko, the withdrawal of troops and settlements must be final, coordinated with Palestinians and must bring the conclusive end of the occupation of the mentioned territories. International intermediaries hope Israel's withdrawal from Gaza will become a step toward the implementation of the idea of two states - Israel and Palestine, which will safely co-exist side-by-side in peace.
Participants of the meeting in Moscow intend to appeal to the Israeli and Palestinian sides to follow strictly the assumed obligations: to observe the cease-fire agreement, to reform the Palestinian national Administration (PNA), to fight with determination against terrorism, to continue with the transfer under Palestinian control of cities on the West Bank from the coordinated list, to free the second group of Palestinian prisoners.
Meanwhile, the recommendations of the Quartet are specifically aimed at preventing both sides from actions that might have prematurely affected the solution of issues related to the determination of the final status of Palestinian territories. That includes primarily the necessity to dismantle Israel's advanced posts being constructed since March 2001, and also to "freeze" the activities of settlers, according to the "road map."
The participants will also discuss issues of increasing international assistance aimed at the improvement of socio-economic situation on the Palestinian territories. According to Quartet members, it will ultimately help Palestinians to realize that the movement toward peace agreements has a positive effect on their living conditions.
