- Title: French PM discusses peace process with Palestinian counterpart
- Date: 24th May 2016
- Summary: WREATH NEAR GRAVE
- Embargoed: 8th June 2016 13:27
- Keywords: Israel Palestinians Manuel Valls West Bank Ramallah peace talks Palestinian Prime Minister Hamdallah
- Location: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- City: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0034J6329Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday (May 24) met with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in the West Bank in a bid to win support for a June 3 international peace conference to revive peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.
"We know that peace will be made by the two sides and that nothing can be imposed on them. But at the same time, today, there are no negotiations and the situation on the ground is catastrophic. What's needed is to get out of this status quo and this impasse. This approach, which is ours, is underpinned by significant international support because everyone sees the difficulties," said Valls during a joint news conference with his Palestinian counterpart Hamdallah in Ramallah after laying a wreath at the late President Yasser Arafat's grave.
"Because I think, and we think, that the solution in this region of the world is the peace, cooperation and market economy that will be beneficial to the Palestinians, to Israel and all the countries of the Middle East," added Valls.
During the news conference Palestinian Prime Minister dismissed Israeli PM calls for direct talks.
"When Mr. Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) is talking about direct talks, negotiations and meeting the (Palestinian) President he wants to buy more time. After 22 years of negotiations we did not achieve anything from the Israelis and we do not want this time to let Netanyahu escape from the (hands of) the International community," said Palestinian PM Rami Hamdallah.
With U.S. efforts to broker a two-state accord in tatters and Washington focused on its November presidential election, Paris has lobbied major powers to hold a conference that would set the groundwork to get Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table before the end of the year.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he would attend the June 3 meeting that hopes to set out a framework for fresh negotiations.
U.S. efforts to broker a two-state deal collapsed in April 2014, and Kerry said any peace effort would require compromise from both sides. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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