Min. Cowen to meet promoters of Geneva Initiative on Mideast peace process – EU press release/Non-UN document

Minister Cowen to meet promoters of the Geneva Initiative on the Middle East Peace Process

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen T.D. will meet promoters of the Geneva Initiative, Amram Mitzna and Yasser Abed Rabbo in Dublin on 11 March.

The Geneva Initiative is a civil society proposal which addresses final status issues such as the right of return of Palestinians and the division of Jerusalem.

Yasser Abed Rabbo is a former Minister of Information and Culture of the Palestinian Authority and served as head of the Palestinian Authority's negotiating team during the Final Status talks in 2000.

Amram Mitzna is a member of the Israeli Knesset and a former leader of the Israeli Labor party.

Minister Cowen said that 'while the Quartet Roadmap remains the blueprint for a settlement to the Israeli – Palestinian conflict, the Geneva Initiative gives some indication of how the difficult problems associated with final status issues might be addressed. I look forward to discussing these ideas with Yasser Abed Rabbo and Amram Mitzna on Thursday.'

The meeting will be followed by a brief press conference.