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France/Palestine/Israel

Abbas in Paris as Kouchner mulls border recognition

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas is to lunch with French President Nicolas Sarkozy Monday on an official visit to Paris, which has already seen controversial statements by Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner.

Abbas with Kouchner on Sunday evening
Abbas with Kouchner on Sunday evening AFP / L. Bonaventure
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Kouchner, who dined with Abbas on Sunday evening, has suggested that the “international community” should recognise the borders of a Palestinian state without waiting for Israel’s agreement.

Pointing out that France is training Palestinian police, Kouchner said that a Palestinian state is already being constructed.

"It follows that one can envision the proclamation soon of a Palestinian state, and its immediate recognition by the international community, even before negotiating its borders," he told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper.

But the minister added that he is not sure whether his colleagues will agree with him, or even whether he is right.

Prime Minister François Fillon, who is on a visit to Jordan, was less committal, saying that Kouchner’s statement was evidence of “our wish to speed up the process, to take initiatives which will kickstart negotations which are taking too long to get going”.

Israeli officials reacted angrily, saying that the proposal would “add fuel to the fire”.

French officials hope to speed up the Middle East peace process, which is stalled despite US President Barack Obama’s promises to push it forward.

US negotiator George Mitchell has suggested negotiating borders before discussing disputes over the status of Jerusalem, Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories, the right of return for refugees or access to water.

Israel opposes any such move and has only declared a partial freeze on settlements, which US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has categorised as "illegitimate".

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