Mid East peace 'Quartet' hears from France and Egypt

The diplomatic "Quartet" piloting efforts to nudge Israel and the Palestinians towards a negotiated solution to their conflict on Friday heard from France and Egypt on their parallel peacemaking efforts.

The Quartet -- the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations -- is tasked with overseeing international peace efforts, but both France and Egypt have expressed an interest in helping out.

Washington, in particular, has been hesitant to endorse a French role on what has traditionally been US diplomatic turf. But with the conflict on the ground only getting worse, the US has agreed to welcome fresh ideas. 

"Our goal is still the same: It's to organize an international conference before the end of the year with both parties present," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU High Representative Federica Mogherini met at the United Nations in New York to review their efforts.

They were joined for the latter part of their discussion by Ayrault and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

"All agreed on the importance of close and continuing coordination of all efforts to achieve the common goal of the two-state solution," the Quartet said in a statement released after the talks.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has offered to play a greater mediating role in the conflict and to seek a solution under a revived version of a 2002 plan that would see more Arab countries recognize Israel in exchange for it ceding occupied Palestinian land.

Source: AFP