Barak sets next July as date to withdraw from south Lebanon
Regional-Israel-France, Politics, 9/24/1999

French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin on Thursday stressed his country's readiness to provide any help in the efforts exerted to achieve peace in the Middle East.

In a statement he made in Paris on Thursday following his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Jospin added, "Sides who seek peace should first set their conditions, and we have to cope with them and help in preparing the atmospheres." He added that the French government is ready to help when it is asked to do so.

For his part and following his meeting with his French counterpart, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said Israel will withdraw from south Lebanon by July 1999 in the framework of an agreement with "both Syria and Lebanon."

Barak added that he still has confidence in the possibility of reaching an agreement to pull out Israeli forces by the middle of next year.

Concerning talks on the Syrian track, the Israeli prime minister confined himself to saying that, "Every day that passes makes us closer to the negotiations with Syria."

On Wednesday Barak stressed his determination to reach within 12 to 15 months a peace agreement with Syria.

On the other hand, the chairman of the French National Society (the Parliament), Laurent Fabous, discussed during his meeting on Thursday in Paris with Barak the possibility of economic cooperation between the European Union and Israel.

According to the Israel Radio, Fabous vowed during the meeting to debate the idea of the cooperation agreement between Israel and the European Union at the National Society very soon.

Earlier France and Belgium refused to approve this agreement following the stalemate in the Middle East peace process.

Later in the day, Barak concluded his visit to France and returned to Tel Aviv.

Previous Stories:
  Le Monde: The Golan is a Syrian territory   (9/23/1999)
  France and Middle East peace   (9/23/1999)
  Barak and the Syrian track   (9/23/1999)
  Barak to visit France in coming week   (9/15/1999)
  Barak will withdraw next year from Lebanon   (9/11/1999)

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