Middle East Explorer Home > Israel >
Quartet on the Middle East
Found in: Israeli Palestinian peace efforts
The Quartet on the Middle East, sometimes called the Diplomatic Quartet or Madrid Quartet or simply the Quartet, is a foursome of nations and international and supranational entities involved in mediating the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Quartet are the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations. The group was established in Madrid in 2002 by the Spanish Prime Minister Aznar, as a result of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Tony Blair is the Quartet's current Special Envoy.
Special envoys
James Wolfensohn, the former president of the World Bank, was appointed Special Envoy for Israel's disengagement from Gaza in April 2004. He stepped down the following year because of restrictions in dealing with the Islamic militant group Hamas and the withholding of money from the Palestinian Authority, risking its collapse.
Tony Blair announced that he had accepted the position of the official envoy of the Quartet, the same day he resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as a Member of Parliament on 27 June 2007. The approval came after initial objections by Russia. The United Nations is overseeing the finances and security of his mission. In January 2008, it was announced that Tony Blair would become employed by J.P. Morgan Chase, reportedly for $1 million. When the UN was asked by a reporter if this might be a conflict of interest, the UN spokesperson said, "Ask Tony Blair."
Peace efforts and actions by the Quartet
Tony Blair traveled to the Mideast periodically following his appointment as Special Envoy. On a trip there in March 2008, he met with Israeli leaders to discuss recent violence. A planned meeting between Israeli and Palestinian businessmen was postponed due to recent fighting. In May 2008 Tony Blair announced a new plan for peace and for Palestinian rights, based heavily on the ideas of the Peace Valley plan.
The Quartet and its representatives
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
High Representative Javier Solana
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Special Envoy Tony Blair
See also
Road map for peace
Russia and the Arab-Israeli conflict
External links
US Mission to the UN archive of press releases pertaining to the Middle East
Joint Statement by the Quartet, upon meeting in London, 1 March 2005
Middle East Quartet Statements U.S. State Department
President Welcomes Quartet Principals to White House, press release from meeting of the Quartet Principals on 20 December 2002
"Tony Blair's UN Role May Conflict with New Job with JP Morgan Chase" by Matthew Russell Lee, Inner City Press, January 10, 2008
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Quartet on the Middle East
Explore Israeli Palestinian peace efforts
Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip / Temporary International Presence in Hebron / Hudna / 2002 Arab League summit / Geneva Accord / One-state solution / Two-state solution / Isratine proposal / Johan Jorgen Holst / Wye River Memorandum / Madrid Conference of 1991 / Two Stars for Peace solution / Peace process in the IsraeliPalestinian conflict / Mona Juul / Marianne Heiberg / Victim of peace / Dennis Ross / Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of 2005 / Tahdia / Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum / Protocol Concerning the Redeployment in Hebron / IsraelPalestine Liberation Organization letters of recognition / Madrid peace conference letter of invitation / Quartet on the Middle East / Herzliya Conference / European Union Border Assistance Mission Rafah / PeresHussein London Agreement / Corpus separatum / Palestinian Prisoners' Document / Arab Peace Initiative / Middle Eastern Union / Six-state solution / Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information / Annapolis Conference / Hanna Siniora / More Israeli Palestinian peace efforts...
Explore topics related to Israel:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
Explore Middle East countries:
Iran - Israel - Kuwait - Saudi-Arabia - Turkey - United-Arab-Emirates
