The Madrid “Quartet” - representatives of the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations - have agreed on a proposal for the establishment of a Palestinian state by the year 2005. The group met in New York yesterday to outline their vision of “an end to the conflict.”
The program includes three phases, beginning with the reform of Palestinian security forces - assumed to mean an end to terrorism against Israelis - while Israeli troops are simultaneously withdrawn from Palestinian-controlled areas, together with preparations for PA elections in early 2003. The second phase would consist of establishing provisional borders and a constitution for a Palestinian state, followed by the third phase - Israeli-PA talks, aimed at reaching a permanent status agreement by mid-2005.
The program includes three phases, beginning with the reform of Palestinian security forces - assumed to mean an end to terrorism against Israelis - while Israeli troops are simultaneously withdrawn from Palestinian-controlled areas, together with preparations for PA elections in early 2003. The second phase would consist of establishing provisional borders and a constitution for a Palestinian state, followed by the third phase - Israeli-PA talks, aimed at reaching a permanent status agreement by mid-2005.