French diplomat refuses to meet with Bin Tsour

French diplomat Manuel Marin, who occupies a high post in the European Union, has refused to meet with the director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Eitan Bin Tsour.

The latter arrived in France to hold a series of meetings with French and European officials described by Israeli radio as important.

The Israeli army radio correspondent in Paris said that Marin refused to meet with Bin Tsour under the pretext that the French official will not meet with any official under the rank of a minister.

The report added that Marin's stand complies with French stances which condemn Israel's policy in the occupied lands and the stances of the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu toward resuming negotiations with the Palestinian government.