US Mideast Envoy Quits After Attempt at Peace Deal

U.S. special Mideast envoy Martin Indyk resigned on Friday after nearly a year of unsuccessful efforts to forge an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement that Indyk, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, would return to his position as vice president and director of foreign policy at The Brookings Institution think-tank in Washington but would continue to serve as special adviser on Mideast peace issues.

"Ambassador Indyk has invested decades of his extraordinary career to the mission of helping Israelis and Palestinians achieve a lasting peace. It's the cause of Martin's career, and I'm grateful for the wisdom and insight he's brought to our collective efforts," Kerry said.

"The United States remains committed not just to the cause of peace, but to resuming the process when the parties find a path back to serious negotiations," Kerry said.

Kerry appointed Indyk to the envoy post last July when Kerry announced a resumption in long-stalled peace talks with the goal of reaching a settlement within nine months. The negotiations collapsed before that target date.................http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/us-mideast-envoy-quits-attempt-peace-deal-24330980
27/6/14
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