Middle East: members of diplomatic 'Quartet' meet with Israeli Foreign Minister

Members of the diplomatic "Quartet" on the Middle East - the European Union, Russian Federation, United Nations and United States - have held a productive meeting with the Foreign Minister of Israel, a UN spokesman reported today.

Wednesday's meeting with Foreign Minister Shimon Peres was attended by the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Terje Roed-Larsen, as well as representatives of the other three components of the Quartet, according to spokesman Fred Eckhard.

"During the meeting, which was described to us as serious and concrete, there was a very constructive exchange of ideas concerning the peace process, including a proposed conference on the Middle East," Mr. Eckhard told reporters in New York.

The Quartet is scheduled to meet on Saturday with the High Representative for European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, and US Envoy William Burns.