France, Israel Disagree on Mideast Peace Plan 'Road Map'

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 20, 2002

France, Israel Disagree on Mideast Peace Plan 'Road Map'

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France and Israel disagreed on the Mideast peace "road map" that suggests the creation of Palestinian State before 2005, according to a press conference jointly held here Thursday by French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The key problem is not the 'road map' but where it leads to. Israel wants go to a place called peace...but the regime of YasserArafat does not want peace, it wants the elimination of the Israeli state," said Netanyahu at the press conference with de Villepin.

On his part, the French minister said, "The Quartet is a necessary tool in pushing for peace...Europe wishes that the road map would be adopted" Friday when the Quartet meets in Washington.

The Quartet, an informal mediation group for the Israeli-Paletinian conflicts, consists of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.

On Wednesday, the United States cast a shadow on the adoption of the "road map" -- a draft peace plan, saying that it is not a right time to discuss it because of January's legislative elections in Israel.

The draft plan suggests three steps to resume peace in the region: The first period till May 2003 for "the end of terrorism and violence and the establishment of Palestinian institutions"; the second from June to December 2003 as a "transition" period; the third involves the proclamation of a Palestinian State in 2004-2005.

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