BERLIN TO REVIVE QUARTET

Berlinaims to revive Mideast quartet
(Nov 10,06)Financial Times ,By Hugh Williamson in Berlin

Germany will try to advance the Middle East peace process next year by reviving the joint diplomatic efforts in the region by the US, European Union, Russia and the United Nations, Angela Merkel, chancellor, said on Friday.Speaking at a security conference in Berlin, Ms Merkel said Germany would use its EU presidency from January onwards to breath new life into the Middle East Quartet involving these four international interests.We see the need to start the quartet again and will discuss this with our partners she said, adding that Berlin was determined to contribute to helping resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even if the negotiations involved prove to be difficult.

Officials said the chancellor's comments reflected frustration in Germany and the EU that the quartet had been largely inactive in recent months, despite the tensions and violence in the Middle East.Germany in January assumes both the six-month EU presidency and the year-long presidency of the G8 group of industrial countries and German diplomats admit that Berlin is under pressure to take a heavyweight leadership role in the Middle East and elsewhere in this period.We can't just sit back and do nothing on the Middle East, said one German official, citing as an example the Israeli shelling in northern Gaza on Wednesday that left 18 Palestinian civilians dead.In addition, Germany has since last month, and for the first time in its postwar history, been involved in a peacekeeping mission in the region, with several ships patrolling the Lebanese coast to prevent arms being smuggled to the Hizbollah movement. We have a special responsibility to this region, Ms Merkel said, referring to Germany's commitment to ensure the existence of Israel, arising from its Nazi past.

Ms Merkel's announcement followed repeated suggestions by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, foreign minister, that the quartet structure be revived, in particular to draw Washington into broader international initiatives in the Middle East.In order to reinforce the quartet's role, its mandate could be expanded to include related regional conflicts, such as that between Israel and Lebanon, Mr Steinmeier has argued. In addition, other countries, such as Egypt, could be drawn into the talks to make them more representative.The quartet's last big policy decision was in January, when, after a meeting in London attended by Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, it called on Hamas to recognise Israel's right to exist, abide by past agreements and renounce violence.Some diplomats now fear that Europe and the US could be diverging, particularly if the Palestinians succeed in their attempts to form a national unity government. While the EU would like to recognise and work with such a government, Washington is much lessenthusiastic.

Additional reporting by Daniel Dombey in Brussels,The Financial Times Ltd.