Quartet: Stay course on P.A.

Principals of the Quartet of international peace negotiators decided to continue a boycott on direct aid to the Palestinian Authority despite the formation of a P.A. unity government. Representatives of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union held a conference call Wednesday to consider the issue. Quartet members expressed hopes that the new government would help end intra-Palestinian violence, but emphasized
that for direct aid to be resumed the government would have to renounce terrorism, accept past peace agreements and recognize Israel. The Quartet members decided to continue an aid mechanism that funnels aid to Palestinians outside the governmental framework.