Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the Middle East

The Secretary-General welcomes the statement by President Bush this morning that the Road Map of the Quartet will be presented to the Israelis and Palestinians once the Palestinian Prime Minister has been confirmed in office. Since December 2002, the Secretary-General has been pressing for the Road Map to be adopted and presented to the parties as soon as possible.

The Secretary-General urges that, once the Road Map has been presented, its implementation by the parties will be pursued with persistence and determination.