Mideast Quartet sees treaty deal within a year
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
August 20, 2010 - 12:00am

A Middle East treaty creating a Palestinian state at peace with Israel can be completed in one year of negotiations, say major powers who were due on Friday to invite both parties to start talks in two weeks. The Quartet -- the United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations -- were due to issue a statement later on Friday confirming that President Barack Obama would invite the Palestinian and Israel leaders to Washington on Sept 2.

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Quartet dispute delays statement on direct talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gil Hoffman - August 18, 2010 - 12:00am

A statement by the Quartet that was expected to lead to long-awaited direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians has been delayed due to disputes between the United States and European Union, Israeli diplomatic sources revealed Tuesday. The Quartet, which is made up of the US, EU, UN, and Russia, was expected to bring Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the negotiating table by releasing a statement early this week about the basis for direct talks.

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Source: Israel seeks to avoid Quartet stance
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 17, 2010 - 12:00am

The Israeli government is trying to prevent the release of the Quartet statement on direct talks, and hopes to replace it with a US decision, a source within the PLO told Ma'an on Monday evening. The source said the PLO's Executive Committee would convene after the Quartet releases its statement, expected to call for talks under conditions that would attempt to satisfy both Israeli and Palestinian negotiators. A PLO position would be determined following the announcement, the source said.

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Israeli-Palestinian direct talks expected to be announced soon
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Politico - August 17, 2010 - 12:00am

An announcement that Israelis and Palestinians have agreed to go into direct peace talks is expected in the coming days, U.S. officials, Mideast watchers and European diplomats said Monday. “We are close, we are optimistic,” a U.S. official said. “There’s still work to do, details remain.” One western diplomat said the announcement was expected Monday, adding that both parties are essentially agreeing to go into direct talks based on assurances they have received from the United States.

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Abbas consults with US on resuming talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 16, 2010 - 12:00am

President Mahmoud Abbas will continue consulting with the US administration over resuming direct talks with Israel, a presidential spokesman said after the leader met with US official David Hale in Ramallah on Sunday. Nabil Abu Rudaineh said some progress has been made, but the Palestinian Authority would only announce its stance on direct talks when the Quartet releases its expected statement Monday.

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PLO accuses Israel of imposing preconditions on talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
August 16, 2010 - 12:00am

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Monday accused Israel of setting preconditions which would obstruct efforts to start direct peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel. Yasser Abed Rabbo, a member of the PLO's Executive Committee, said Israel "deliberately impose preconditions on the peace negotiations" by announcing its rejection to a statement by the Quartet. The Quartet comprising the United States, European Union, Russia and the United States, plans to issue a statement establishing the principles of peacemaking process between Israel and the Palestinians.

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'Major powers' working on Mideast framework: EU
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 13, 2010 - 12:00am

"Major powers" are at work outlining the basis for direct peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton indicated, a Thursday night Reuters report said. In a letter seen by the British news wire in the wake of a new Palestinian proposal for direct talks, Ashton wrote that a statement would be issued early next week and talks could begin within the month.

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Direct negotiations to begin next week
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
August 13, 2010 - 12:00am

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas may agree to direct talks next week if Israel agrees to pre-1967 borders, according to a letter found by Reuters on Thursday. The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton reportedly said in the letter that Abbas would release a statement as early as next week, if both parties agreed to direct talks. Negotiations would begin before the end of the month.

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Palestinians receive U.S. approval of proposal of reference for direct talks with Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Osama Radi - August 12, 2010 - 12:00am

A senior official revealed on Wednesday that the Palestinian leadership received a preliminary approval from the United States over a proposal that the Quartet committee for peace in the Middle East issue a statement defining a reference for direct peace talks with Israel. Hana Amira, member of Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) executive committee, told Xinhua that U.S. peace envoy George Mitchell informed President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday that the U.S. has accepted in principle the proposal that the Quartet Committee issues the statement.

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Palestinians await Israeli response on involving Quartet in peace discussions: official
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
August 12, 2010 - 12:00am

The Palestinian leadership is waiting for Israel's response on the proposal that the international Quartet issues a statement to define the references for direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, a senior Palestinian official said on Thursday. "We are waiting for the Americans to tell us the Israeli response on our proposal," Saleh Ra'fat, a member of the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) told Radio of Palestine.

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