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

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

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Brian Cowen, met today with the promoters of the Geneva Initiative, Mr. Amram Mitzna and Mr. Yasser Abed Rabbo.

At a press conference after the meeting, Minister Cowen made the following comments.

"I am pleased to welcome this joint Israeli-Palestinian delegation to Dublin today and to hear first hand about what is known as the Geneva Initiative or the Geneva Accord.

I want to thank Mr. Mitzna and Mr. Abed Rabbo for their comprehensive briefing.

The Geneva Accord is a welcome development and demonstrates that rational discourse from civil society on both sides is possible.

The fact that the Initiative discusses solutions to final status issues, such as the right of return of Palestinians and the future of Jerusalem is very positive and welcome.

The Quartet Roadmap, we believe, contains all the elements for a permanent solution.  As Presidency of the European Union, we are working with the other members of the International Quartet to advance the implementation of the Roadmap and the fulfilment by both sides of their obligations under the Roadmap.

Any further international initiatives, therefore, must be in the framework of the Roadmap and we recognise that the Geneva Initiative compliments what the Quartet is doing to implement the Roadmap fully."