New impetus in Middle East peace process

The Annapolis meeting on the Middle East peace process has resulted in a joint statement by Prime Minister Olmert, President Abbas and President Bush in which the parties commit to peace talks with the aim of securing a final peace agreement in the course of 2008.

“I am pleased that the parties have agreed to resume talks on a comprehensive final peace agreement,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre. “This is a process that deserves the full support of the international community. It is positive that the US is now promising to engage actively in and focus its full attention on the peace process in the Middle East, and that the parties and the US in their joint statement have set themselves the goal of achieving concrete results in the course of 2008.”

“It is now important to provide financial support to the Palestinians. The broad international participation here in Annapolis bodes well for the donor conference that France, Norway and the Quartet’s Middle East envoy, Tony Blair, are arranging in December.”

“The parties, the US and the rest of the international community have a heavy responsibility for the implementation of what the parties have declared. It is important that no-one seeks to avoid this responsibility,” said Mr Støre.