LOC21:24
18:24 GMT
By John Keating
PARIS, June 24 (KUNA) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy received here
Wednesday evening Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for a "broad
discussion" on the Middle East, and the two leaders also addressed the Iranian
question, according to both sides after the talks at the Elysee Palace.
Speaking to the press, Netanyahu focused on the situation in Iran and
warned that this regime must not be allowed to obtain a military nuclear
capability. He also said that he was concerned about the demonstrations in
Iran and was convinced that "all these people demonstrating want peace."
Netanyahu said he had an "all-compassing" discussion with the French leader
and spoke about security for Israel and for the Middle East region.
He said he had broached the subject of "peace negotiations based on mutual
recognition between the Jewish State and the Palestinian State" in line with
President Sarkozys vision of "two nation States living in peace and security
and prosperity, which is the third pillar."
The two men also discussed Iran, the Israeli Prime Minister indicated, and
the current situation there.
"We dont know how events will develop," he said, but he affirmed that
Sarkozy and he agreed that it is the duty for responsible leaders, governments
and people everywhere to work towards preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear
weapon.
He said there was broad agreement among "responsible, decent people
everywhere that such a regime should not acquire nuclear weapons because this
could be a very, very grave development."
Concerning relations with the United States, which have been somewhat
strained because of the tension in the peace talks under the aegis of US envoy
Chares Mitchell, the Israeli leader said that there were "unbreakable bonds"
between the two nations and this has been already pointed out by President
Barack Obama in his speech in Cairo.
"We are among good friends and between good friends we can say things, and
even if there can be divergences, there is always talk and dialogue."
Netanyahu was supposed to meet Mitchell in Paris Wednesday but the meeting
was reportedly called off by the American side, a revelation that Netanyahu
confirmed here.
He said that it was a US decision because they were not ready for the talks
and that the contacts would be resumed next Monday when Defense Minister Ehud
Barak travels to Washington.
The Israeli leader cautiously pointed out that Israel "does not want to do
anything that can prejudice the peace process" and it appears clear that the
US is unhappy with Israels commitment to the process since Netanyahu came to
power on April 1.
"I made a commitment and I said there will be no new settlements, there
will be no expropriation of new land to build new settlements, but obviously
the people who live in these settlements must be able to live," the Israeli
said. "This I explained clearly and correctly to our American friends."
The French Presidents office said in a separate statement that it fully
supported the security of Israel and agreed with the Israeli view that "the
perspective of a nuclear Iran is unacceptable."
Sarkozy also indicated full support for a future stable Palestinian State
as this was the best guarantee for Israels future security.
With this in mind, the French leader said that his country "is available to
contribute to a multinational force, notably with the United States and its
European partners" (and) also ready to give substantial security guarantees"
which Netanyahu called for in his speech made at Bar Ilan university on June
14.
Israel has been consistently reticent to allow multilateral forces into the
peace process because this could prevent the Israeli military from acting with
impunity as it is used to doing.
France said it was urging "a resumption of negotiations, without delay or
deadlines" and the rapid engagement of the international community to sponsor
these talks.
Thus, as a confidence-building measure, Sarkozy once again called on Israel
to freeze its settlement building and decisively improve the freedom of
movement conditions for the Palestinian populations. (Pick up previous)
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