French President Nicolas Sarkozy seeks a greater role for Europe in the Middle East peace process, as he proposed a summit meet next month between the leaders of Palestine, Israel and Egypt.
Addressing a joint press conference Monday in Paris with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas, he said he would also invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to Paris for the October summit, which, according to a senior French diplomat, was being co-ordinated with Washington.
He said the Palestinian and Israeli leaders had accepted the participation of the Union for the Mediterranean--a grouping of countries around the Mediterranean ring, including the 27 E.U. member-states as well as Israel and the Palestinian Authority and North Africa--in the peace process.
Sarkozy described Netayanhu's appeal to Israeli settlers to show restraint as "a step in the right direction," but lamented the fact that international appeals to extend the moratorium on settlements were not being heeded.
He also sought more participants in the Middle East peace process, and urged that Europe be given a greater role.
"It is not viable for Europe to contribute money and then be outside the political process," he said, adding: "We don't want to be just spectators."
Agreeing with Sarkosy, Abbas said "the base of participation [in the peace process] must be enlarged."
The Palestinian leader also said no hasty decision would be taken on walking out of the peace talks and a final decision on this would be made at the October 4 meeting of the foreign ministers of the Arab League.
He hoped that construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem would cease for a "further three-four months."
Meanwhile, U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell is expected Tuesday in Israel to continue talks with Netanyahu (and Abbas) to end the impasse over the Israeli freeze on the construction of settlements, which expired Sunday.
Mitchell, who is also scheduled to meet with Abbas, will discuss with Netanyahu Wednesday a U.S. compromise proposal that would extend the suspension of construction in West Bank settlements for several more months.
Ahead of Mitchell's visit, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke with Netanyahu twice Monday to discuss the proposal, which would include U.S. guarantees over core issues in the negotiations, including refugees, security arrangements and Israel's status as a Jewish state. |