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16:14 GMT
PARIS, Jan 11 (KUNA) - France on Tuesday officially declined to comment a
recently-completed European Union report on Jerusalem, but officials here
reiterated the French position that the city is destined to be the capital of
both Israel and a future Palestinian State.
Israel has been trying to promote the idea that Jerusalem is the "undivided
and eternal capital" of the Jewish State, a position that violates
international law and the tenets of the Quartet group, which says the position
of Jerusalem is only to be determined at the end of "Final Status" talks.
The EU report on Jerusalem was compiled by diplomatic representatives in
the city, including the French Consul-General, Frederic Desagneaux.
"Concerning the distribution of the report, it is up to (Brussels)...to
decide if it is distributed or not," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard
Valero said.
The official confirmed the French contribution to the report but would not
divulge any information on this.
"Concerning Jerusalem, the position of France has not changed...it is still
the same, two states, one capital. Just look at the episode with the hotel.
This illustrates the care we accord to this file," the spokesman remarked.
France on Monday strongly condemned the Israeli operation to demolish much
of the Hotel Shepherd in Arab East Jerusalem to make way for illegal
apartments for Jewish settlers.
"We spoke out yesterday on the demolition of the hotel and we especially
stressed in this statement was that it was not with such initiatives that
(Israel) is facilitating the pursuit of dialogue...and the search for peace in
the region," Valero stated.
He further added that the aim of the process in the Middle East and the
European and French positions is "two States, living side-by-side in peace, in
security...and concerning Jerusalem, Jerusalem is capital of the two States.
That is part of the end goal."
The official also pointed out that the existence of this report on
Jerusalem "illustrates the interest the Europeans take in this file" and he
said France remains mobilized on the issue.
He stressed "the collective nature" of the report and underlined that there
was "a practice" whereby those who participated in the report do not discuss
it unless the EU in Brussels decides to do so.
He said that French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie would "certainly"
speak about the issue when she meets leading Arab officials at the "Forum for
the Future" in Doha January 12-13.
The French Minister is to meet, among others, with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister
Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah and with the Emir of Qatar and the
Foreign Minister of the UAE. (end)
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