10 November 2009 - 16H24  

France steps up Mideast diplomacy
An Israeli soldier keeps himself warm with a blanket at his Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) during a military exercise near the Israeli town of Katzrin, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. President Nicolas Sarkozy urged Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas not to abandon peace efforts, as the French leader prepared for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
An Israeli soldier keeps himself warm with a blanket at his Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) during a military exercise near the Israeli town of Katzrin, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. President Nicolas Sarkozy urged Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas not to abandon peace efforts, as the French leader prepared for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy delivers a speech during a press conference following the first Overseas departments and Territorial Administration cabinet meeting in Paris, November 6
French president Nicolas Sarkozy delivers a speech during a press conference following the first Overseas departments and Territorial Administration cabinet meeting in Paris, November 6

AFP - President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday urged Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas not to abandon peace efforts, as the French leader prepared for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sarkozy stepped up France's Middle East diplomacy after the United States stumbled in its efforts to address the thorny issue of a freeze on Israeli settlements to revive Israeli-Palestinian talks.

During a telephone conversation, Sarkozy "encouraged Mr Abbas to continue his work in the service of Palestinians and peace," said the Elysee palace.

Sarkozy "assured him of France's active support to truly re-start the peace process based on the ground rules agreed by the sides and the international community," it added.

France is urging Abbas to reverse his decision to not seek re-election in January to protest the breakdown in US-led efforts to revive the peace talks.

Israel's ties with the new US administration have been strained over Netanyahu's refusal to heed US demands for a full settlement freeze in the West Bank ahead of resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians.

Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said separately that Netanyahu will hear from Sarkozy about the need to freeze the settlements when the two meet at the Elysee on Wednesday.

"We think that a freeze on settlements, that's to say no more colonisation while talks are ongoing, would be absolutely indispensable," Kouchner told France Inter radio. "We need talks and the peace process to restart."

The French minister was speaking after Netanyahu held a tense meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday. The United States has also called on Israel to freeze settlement building.

Netanyahu insists he has limited new construction and has called for an immediate return to talks, but Abbas rejects his claims.

"We need to talk again with Mahmud Abbas, and first and foremost we need him not to resign as he has threatened," insisted Kouchner.

Netanyahu is to meet Sarkozy at 5.30pm (1630 GMT) Wednesday at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

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