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    UNITED NATIONS, April 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Monday that the team of four nations mediating for peace in the Middle East would meet in New York in May to discuss the prospects for settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

    Annan told reporters that the Quartet, comprising the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia, would discuss the current situation and "look into the future" regarding how to deal with the stalled roadmap to Middle East peace.

    Annan said the group was likely to invite its regional partners in the Middle East to join the May 9 talks "and think through the issues with us."

    "Then we will make concrete decisions" on the next steps, he said.

    The UN chief said the escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians "is very worrying."

    "It is important that neither side takes initiatives that put civilians at risk, at grave risk as we have seen," he added.

    The Quartet has been a long-time mediation team over the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Enditem