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Palestinian-Israeli talks reach deadlock – Palestinian ambassador

Today the talks have reached the deadlock although there are attempts to resume the peace process

MOSCOW, March 21 (Itar-Tass) — Talks on the Palestinian-Israeli settlement have reached the deadlock, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Fayed Mustafa said.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Mustafa said Palestine “hopes for the Quartet’s efforts”.

“Today the talks have reached the deadlock although there are attempts to resume the peace process. But there is no breakthrough,” the Palestinian ambassador said.

In his words, Palestine is committed to the Quartet statement of September 23, 2011. He believes that the key reason for the mediators’ failure is Israel’s perversity. “But it is necessary to create conditions for holding talks in a normal, favourable atmosphere. Israel continues the settlement policy and ignores the international documents on the Palestinian-Israeli settlement,” the ambassador said.

Prospects for the Palestinian-Israeli settlement are in the focus of a conference in Brussels in light of the upcoming Quartet meeting, he added. “Today’s conference in Brussels will take place with the involvement of the Quartet representatives. They will discuss preparations for the upcoming Quartet meeting at the ministerial level due to be held in Washington on April 11-12.”

According to the Palestinian ambassador, the conference in the Belgian capital is designed to sum up the results of what was done on the Palestinian-Israeli track.

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it was inadmissible that the Arab Spring events would be used as a pretext for “burying the Palestinian-Israeli problem”. The Russian minister said he is hopeful that the Quartet’s April meeting would find ways, which would make it possible to resume the Palestinian-Israeli dialogue.

Commenting on the state of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the Russian foreign minister said, “Living standards do not correspond to any norms. There is no heating system and electricity. It is intolerable to live there.”