interesting articles ~ Link ~ Jan. 2010 ~ Zbigniew Brzezinski ~ In Appraising Obama’s Foreign Policy: From Hope to Audacity, he describes both his and Obama’s world views ... and As Obama Endorses ’67 Borders, Netanyahu Objects also ~ Obamas views reinforce proximity with France on Mideast ... 5/25/2011
French and Israeli FMs meet to discuss peace process
Paris, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe met here Wednesday with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman to discuss international and multilateral issues but essentially to address the troubled peace process in the Middle East, official sources said.
In a brief statement after the talks, the French Foreign Ministry said Juppe had "insisted" with Lieberman that the current situation cannot be allowed to endure and both sides must take steps to move the process forward.
Juppe "insisted on the fact that the status quo was not tenable," a French official said.
The French Foreign Minister further "stressed that after the speeches of the American President and the Israeli Prime Minister in Washington (last week), the parties should assume their responsibilities on the basis of the precise and balanced parameters which are now the subject of a broad international consensus," according to the statement.
President Barack Obama said that the basis for border negotiations must be the 1967 line, but Israel reacted angrily and said this was not acceptable.
France committed to helping move the process forward but no mention was made of the thorny issue of Israeli settlement-building which is seen as one of the major obstacles to peace.
France, even within the last week, has heavily criticized Israeli defiance of the will of the Quartet and the persistent violations of international law because of the settlement-building in both the West Bank and in Arab East Jerusalem.
In regular statements, the French government has issued an outright condemnation of settlement-building but there was no indication if Juppe addressed this subject with Lieberman on Wednesday and no statements were made to the press after the meeting.
The Foreign Ministers met on the sidelines of the 50th anniversary of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which is based in the French capital and which Israel joined last year, despite protests over its human rights record.
French and Israeli FMs meet to discuss peace process
Paris, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe met here Wednesday with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman to discuss international and multilateral issues but essentially to address the troubled peace process in the Middle East, official sources said.
In a brief statement after the talks, the French Foreign Ministry said Juppe had "insisted" with Lieberman that the current situation cannot be allowed to endure and both sides must take steps to move the process forward.
Juppe "insisted on the fact that the status quo was not tenable," a French official said.
The French Foreign Minister further "stressed that after the speeches of the American President and the Israeli Prime Minister in Washington (last week), the parties should assume their responsibilities on the basis of the precise and balanced parameters which are now the subject of a broad international consensus," according to the statement.
President Barack Obama said that the basis for border negotiations must be the 1967 line, but Israel reacted angrily and said this was not acceptable.
France committed to helping move the process forward but no mention was made of the thorny issue of Israeli settlement-building which is seen as one of the major obstacles to peace.
France, even within the last week, has heavily criticized Israeli defiance of the will of the Quartet and the persistent violations of international law because of the settlement-building in both the West Bank and in Arab East Jerusalem.
In regular statements, the French government has issued an outright condemnation of settlement-building but there was no indication if Juppe addressed this subject with Lieberman on Wednesday and no statements were made to the press after the meeting.
The Foreign Ministers met on the sidelines of the 50th anniversary of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which is based in the French capital and which Israel joined last year, despite protests over its human rights record.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2169391&Language=en
