France is ready to host a Middle East peace conference before the end of July to help relaunch stalled negotiations, France's Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Thursday. Speaking in Ramallah, Juppe said France was willing to transform a July meeting in Paris of international donors to the Palestinians into a broader peace conference that could kick-start negotiations. "We would be prepared, on the basis of a request by the (Mideast) Quartet, to organise in Paris..., before the end of July, a conference that would not be simply for the donors but a broader political conference involving the negotiation process," he said. Juppe is holding meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials during a three-day trip taking place as talks between the two sides are mired in a stalemate over the issue of Jewish settlement construction. In the absence of negotiations, the Palestinians have pledged to seek recognition and membership at the United Nations in September, a move criticised by Israel and the United States. France has called for the urgent resumption of negotiations, which came to a halt, shortly after they began in September 2010, when a partial freeze on Israeli settlement construction expired. Israel refused to renew the freeze and the Palestinians insist they will not hold talks while settlements are being built on land they want for their future state. Juppe said on Thursday that new talks should proceed in two stages, with the first discussing security and borders, based on the 1967 lines, on the assumption that a final accord would include mutually-agreed land swaps. The second stage of the talks, which he said should be completed within a year from its start, would discuss Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, he said. Juppe spoke after meeting Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad. On Wednesday he met Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Rome before flying to Israel and meeting his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman. He is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later on Thursday.
GMT 15:34 2018 Friday ,14 December
Moscow ready for Putin-Trump meetingGMT 13:40 2018 Friday ,14 December
Britain and EU should prepare for second Brexit referendumGMT 11:43 2018 Friday ,14 December
Kosovo to build an army amid tensions with SerbiaGMT 11:52 2018 Thursday ,13 December
Britain's May to appeal to EU for help to salvage Brexit dealGMT 10:28 2018 Wednesday ,12 December
Huawei Executive Gets Bail In Case Rattling China TiesGMT 09:01 2018 Tuesday ,11 December
US marines missing after aircraft collision off Japan confirmed deadGMT 08:55 2018 Monday ,10 December
Top EU court to issue decision on reversal of BrexitGMT 08:37 2018 Monday ,10 December
Peruvians vote for anti-corruption reformsMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor