French gov seeks rigid timeframe for PA-Israel compromise

The French government seeks to have the foreign ministers meeting in Paris on Friday about a compromise between the Palestinian Authority and Israel to agree that future negotiations between the two sides will take place within a limited timeframe, according to a document disseminated by the French Foreign Ministry to the countries taking part in the meeting.

According to the document, the French propose that a goal of the discussions starting Friday will be to formulate parameters for a solution to the core issues of a permanent peace agreement. All direct negotiations in the future would be based on these parameters.

The three-page document is a paper of talking points and represents the views of France only, according to Haaretz.

The United States and some of the other states attending the meeting disagree with sections of the paper and would prefer to see a general joint statement at the conclusion of the meeting.

The parameters the document sets relate to the core issues of the conflict – borders, security, refugees, Jerusalem, settlements and water – around which future negotiations will revolve.