New York, 15 February 2007 – Secretary-General's press encounter following his monthly luncheon with the Security Council
Q: Are you optimistic about the coming Quartet meeting?
SG: The important meeting in Berlin – we will review, first of all, the trilateral consultation among the US, the Palestinian Authority and Israel, and also we will review the situation after the Mecca deal was made. I hope that we will be able to make a quick input, political input, into the ongoing diplomatic process. I am confident that this kind of ongoing diplomatic initiative will facilitate the peace process in the Middle East.
Q: Do you think that the Mecca agreement is good enough to lift the economic embargo on the Palestinians, which has been going on for more than a year?
SG: I'm not quite sure about this relationship, but what Mecca did was good and encouraging. I know that certain countries may still have a position to be cautious in this matter. But at this time, what is important is that, whether this Mecca deal would meet the requirements of all these conditions, then, in such case, we will have definite arguments on this matter. Therefore the international community should try to encourage this on-going peace process.
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