By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent

United Nations -- The diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East offered no new suggestions on ways to end the escalating violence September 26, but said that envoys of the four would increase their travel in the region to prepare for another Quartet meeting before the end of the year.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said that "the United States is prepared to play the role of an open, honest broker, pressing both sides to meet the obligations and commitments that they have made and have under the road map."

"The road map is still valid, and we are now waiting to see whether or not the Palestinian people are able to put in place, through their own system, a prime minister who will enjoy political authority and control over all the security forces so that we can start moving again down the path laid out by the road map," Powell said.

As long as terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad keep operating and Palestinians do not organize themselves in a way to deal with the continuing terrorist threat "we will find ourselves continually frustrated," the secretary said.

Members of the quartet met for one hour September 26 while they were at U.N. headquarters attending the annual opening of the General Assembly. Afterwards, they issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to the road map and calling on both Israelis and Palestinians to do more to address each other's concerns.

"The Quartet members view with great concern the situation in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Each party must do more to address, immediately and simultaneously, the core concerns of the other, as described in the road map," Secretary General Kofi Annan said, reading a summary statement on behalf of the Quartet.

The Quartet said that Palestinians must take immediate decisive steps against individuals and groups conducting and planning violent attacks. They also called on Israel to exert maximum efforts to avoid civilian casualties and said that settlement activity must stop.

Quartet members in addition to Annan and Powell are Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, and Foreign Minister Franco Fratini of Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU). Also attending the session was Javier Solana, EU high representative for common foreign and security policy, and Chris Patten, external relations commissioner for the European Commission.

After reading the statement, the secretary general shared his own thoughts on the situation saying that "bold steps, in keeping with the road map, are now necessary to salvage peace. Small steps or interim solutions have not worked. They are unlikely to work in the future."

While he made no suggestion on what such steps could be, Annan said that "such actions should simultaneously address the core needs of both parties -- security for Israelis and an end to occupation for the Palestinians. They should be firmly supported by an international presence."

The secretary general also urged the international community "to help both parties to shoulder their responsibilities to their people and the road map."

At a press conference after the meeting, Powell said that "in the absence of some change in the situation on the ground," he did not see "any immediate prospects" for an international conference on the Middle East.

The secretary of state also said that the Quartet had begun discussing whether it would be appropriate for the United Nations or the Security Council to take action, "but we haven't pursued this at any level of detail this morning."

In answer to questions, Powell defended U.S. policy on Israel and emphasized the intention of the U.S. to "be a partner with both sides."

"The road map put down reciprocal obligations for both sides and we did see some initial movement on that road map with Israel restraining itself with respect to targeted assassinations [of] ticking bombs coming its way; with the beginning of the destruction of illegal outposts; a clear understanding that something had to be done," the secretary said.

President Bush "expected something to be done about settlement activity, the initial beginning of prisoner releases, opening of Gaza and Bethlehem to security control by Palestinians; and more cities were being prepared to be turned over," he said. "So there were some beginning efforts on the road map that made it clear that the United States was encouraging Israel and putting pressure on Israel to meet its obligations."

"On the Palestinian side, the major obligation, the bold step that is needed is to end terror activity," Powell said. "It becomes very difficult to move forward, and to expect either side to move forward if it is against the backdrop of continued terror on the part of organizations such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, that do not have the same purpose that the international community does."

All the Quartet members stressed the value of the group even though at the moment it is unable to effect change in the situation on the ground.

The Quartet process, Annan said, "is in a bit of a distress, but is the only option we have. And we are going to press the parties to honor their commitments under the road map. All of us here on this podium have a role to play and the importance of our influence may differ from time to time and differ from party to party."

"The Quartet works in partnership," Annan said. "Obviously at any one stage, the influence of one or the other of the members may be greater..., but we pool our efforts."

Powell said that the Quartet allowed the different perspectives and approaches that each member takes to the region to come into harmony "so that we all are united in providing a common front and form of the road map to the parties."