All news

US spokeswoman says Mideast peace Quartet can still play good role

"The United States […] has been trying to lead the international community and specifically to lead the parties and the Quartet back to the peace table,” Nuland said

WASHINGTON, September 13 (Itar-Tass) — International Quartet brokering peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians can still play an encouraging role in the resumption of talks between the Israelis and the Palestinian National Authority, U.S. Department of State official spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a daily news briefing Monday.

“The United States […] has been trying to lead the international community and specifically to lead the parties and the Quartet back to the peace table,” Nuland said, U.S. leadership remains intense at all levels and will be so for the foreseeable future on this issue.

When a reporter asked her about the way the U.S. would vote at the UN Security Council should the issue of an independent Palestinian state arise on the agenda, she said: “We do not believe that a state can be created in New York that that will lead to two states living side by side in peace. If this comes to a vote in the UN Security Council, we’ve made clear that we will veto…”

“The Palestinian state needs to be established by negotiations between the parties,” Nuland said. “Our view on that hasn’t changed.”

She was also asked to comment on Russia’s statement that Moscow would support any Palestinian initiative on the UN Security Council, saying:”We are continuing to work on a Quartet way ahead, as we have been working for a number of weeks.”

“That is the focus of our efforts with the Russians, and we would hope that the Russians will continue to work with us in that direction in the coming days, Nuland said.