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France Says ``Viable'' Palestinian State Good for Israel
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said on Monday that a ``viable'' Palestinian independent state is good for Israel and called on Israel to be flexible in the forthcoming summit to be held in Camp David near Washington on Tuesday.
In an interview with the daily L'Humanite, Vedrine said that he wishes both Palestinians and Israelis good lock and good courage in the summit.
``But I hope more particularly that Mr. Barak would be aware that Israelis have interest in a viable Palestinian state,'' he said.
``If everything is locked (by Israel), without any margin of maneuver in what concerns Jerusalem, the Jewish settlements, refugees frontiers, surface and prerogative of Palestinian state, no Palestinian leader will agree to it,'' said Vedrine.
The Camp David talks to be held between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the Israeli prime minister under the auspices of U.S. President Bill Clinton will cover the demarcation of the frontier, the part natural resources to be controlled by Palestinians, as well as the prerogatives for the future Palestinian state.
Israel has ruled out a return to the frontier of June 4, 1967, which the Palestinian has asked for.
In this case, a future Palestinian state will consist of two parts--Gaza Strip and West Bank, which are separated by Israel in a form of fragmentation.
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