France Wants Quartet To Endorse Middle East Parameters
By KUNA
French authorities said on Friday that they want the Middle East Quartet to endorse the parameters for a resumption of Middle East peace negotiations as they are agreed by the international community.
The parameters relate mainly to border and security questions and there is a general consensus that Israeli-Palestinian talks should be based on the 1967 borders, with an opportunity for land swaps where agreed.
France has been pushing for a Middle East peace conference to address aid to the Palestinians and also political questions with a view to restarting the stalled peace talks.
But the US has given a very lukewarm reception to this proposal and Israel has so far not responded.
“The Palestinians have accepted our initiative. It is important today that Israel give its answer,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said.
He said talks must be restarted “on the basis of the clear and balanced parameters which are those upon which the French initiative is grounded.”
Valero remarked that France was pursuing contacts with the parties, and with the United States, to find a way to get peace negotiations restarted.
“That is why we want the Quartet, whose meeting at ministerial level is envisaged in the coming weeks, to endorse the parameters which have a consensus within the international community,” the official added.
Quartet representative Tony Blair said 10 days ago that he fully supported the French proposal for an international conference and most EU nations are also behind the idea.
The Quartet is composed of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union.
