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Middle East

Volume 402: debated on Tuesday 25 March 2003

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15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's activities in seeking a Middle East peace settlement. [104473]

As I have already indicated; our aim is for the Middle East Peace Process to create two states, Israel and Palestine, side by side, both at peace.

17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to promote dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. [104475]

We held a conference in London on 14 January to encourage Palestinian reform, which the Israelis say is necessary for progress. We are also closely engaged with both parties in encouraging the peace process.

18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the first meeting on the road map for Palestine and Israel will take place. [104476]

The Quartet will present the roadmap, as agreed by them on 20 December 2002, to both parties once Abu Mazen has been confirmed as Palestinian Prime Minister. We expect this to happen shortly. The Quartet will then discuss implementation of the road map with the parties. We look to both of them to implement the steps it sets out with speed, vigour and determination. Direct meetings between the parties, for example on security issues, are part of this process.

19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the proposed road map for resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict. [104477]

The Quartet road map is an internationally agreed series of steps which lead to a comprehensive settlement of the Arab/Israeli dispute in 2005, as envisaged by President Bush in his 14 June speech last year. There is no other way forward. We support the efforts of the Quartet partners to get the road map published and implemented as soon as possible and call on all the parties concerned to co-operate fully with them to these ends.

23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the middle east peace process. [104482]

A peace process can best be restarted through early publication and implementation of the Quartet road map. We are doing all we can to secure this.