Fade
02-22-2010, 01:01 PM
France puts case for recognising Palestinian state
21 Feb 2010 20:46:17 GMT
Source: *******
* PM says France keen to kick-start peace talks
* Idea welcomed by Palestinians, rejected by Israel (Adds reaction)
AMMAN, Feb 21 (*******) - France suggested on Sunday the international community might recognise a Palestinian state before its borders had been fixed, in order to break a stalemate in Middle East peacemaking.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner floated the idea in a newspaper interview, published hours before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Paris for talks on Monday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Kouchner told Journal du Dimanche: "One can imagine a Palestinian state being rapidly declared and immediately recognised by the international community, even before negotiating its borders. I would be tempted by that."
French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, on a visit to Jordan, said Kouchner's proposal showed France's willingness "to accelerate the (peace) process, to take initiatives that will kick off negotiations, which are taking too long to start".
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat welcomed the remarks, while an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described any such proposal as a "mirage".
TALKS IMPASSE
"We consider that the time has come for European Union states to announce their recognition of the state of Palestine on the '67 borders," Erekat told *******, referring to the borders of the West Bank and Gaza Strip as they stood on the eve of the 1967 Middle East war.
Kouchner acknowledged, however, in his remarks that even other European states would have reservations about such a proposal.
Article continued at http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE61K0BC.htm
21 Feb 2010 20:46:17 GMT
Source: *******
* PM says France keen to kick-start peace talks
* Idea welcomed by Palestinians, rejected by Israel (Adds reaction)
AMMAN, Feb 21 (*******) - France suggested on Sunday the international community might recognise a Palestinian state before its borders had been fixed, in order to break a stalemate in Middle East peacemaking.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner floated the idea in a newspaper interview, published hours before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Paris for talks on Monday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Kouchner told Journal du Dimanche: "One can imagine a Palestinian state being rapidly declared and immediately recognised by the international community, even before negotiating its borders. I would be tempted by that."
French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, on a visit to Jordan, said Kouchner's proposal showed France's willingness "to accelerate the (peace) process, to take initiatives that will kick off negotiations, which are taking too long to start".
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat welcomed the remarks, while an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described any such proposal as a "mirage".
TALKS IMPASSE
"We consider that the time has come for European Union states to announce their recognition of the state of Palestine on the '67 borders," Erekat told *******, referring to the borders of the West Bank and Gaza Strip as they stood on the eve of the 1967 Middle East war.
Kouchner acknowledged, however, in his remarks that even other European states would have reservations about such a proposal.
Article continued at http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE61K0BC.htm