WEST BANK: France's Kouchner meets Palestinian PM and Palestinian President in the West Bank

Record ID: 560874

  • Title: WEST BANK: France's Kouchner meets Palestinian PM and Palestinian President in the West Bank
  • Date: 5th October 2008
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF MEETING BETWEEN KOUCHNER AND ABBAS
  • Embargoed: 20th October 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9I51E3JCJ7FKZ88YYLWBUV0SO
  • Story Text: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin and later held talks with President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Saturday (October 4).
    Kouchner reaffirmed at a news conference with Abbas in Ramallah the European Union's commitment towards the peace process and a Palestinian state next to the Jewish state.
    "The European union in general will be supporting and strengthen any role for the establishment of an independent democratic Palestinian state side by side next to Israel. The existence of such a Palestinian state will be a security guarantee for Israel. And the existence of both states is a major role and Europe will support both," Kouchner said.
    Abbas confirmed a commitment for the European Union to continue to play a role along with the United States in the peace process.
    "We are comfortable and we will not ask more from the European political stance, because Europe is able to play such a role. Not to replace the United States but to continue the role next to the United States,"
    Abbas said.
    On Sunday, Kouchner will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and other officials.
    French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Saturday he feared the world may forget the Middle East peace process while distracted by the U.S. election, a government change in Israel and tension with Iran.
    Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who has been nominated to form a new government following the resignation of Ehud Olmert last month under a cloud of corruption allegations, is also Israel's chief negotiator in talks with the Palestinians.
    Abbas stated at the news conference he was confident Livni would continue peace negotiations.
    "Tzipi Livni is holding various consultations with different parties, whether its the Labor party, Meretz, Shas or other parties. The information that is available for us that she is on her way to reach positive results. Obviously, we do not know what are the complications within the Israeli society, but we hope that she will succeed in this endeavour and she is a partner in the peace process," Abbas said.
    Kouchner said he was 'not worried that Livni would abandon her role in the peace negotiations'.
    But Palestinian and Israeli officials and Western diplomats, have said it was most unlikely Israel and the Palestinians could meet the target date of the end of 2008 for a deal set by U.S. President George W. Bush last year.
    Palestinian officials believe negotiations will be suspended until after a new U.S. president takes office in January and until a new Israeli government is formed. Olmert will stay on as caretaker premier until parliament approves a new government.
    Abbas told Bush last month that the chances of a deal this year were slim because of wide differences over key issues.
    Abbas said on Saturday that Israel's offers fell below Palestinian expectations for a viable, contiguous state.
    Earlier on Saturday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner arrived to the West Bank town of Jenin as part of a two day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
    In Jenin, the Foreign Minister met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and the two visited a local industrial zone.
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