Sharon rebuffed by Europeans

The Israeli embassy in Paris said that French President Jacques Chirac informed them that he will not receive Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon who will arrive in Paris on Wednesday.

The French President said that Sharon's visit to France will be confined to his meeting with the French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine. However, Israeli sources made no comment on the refusal of the French President to receive Ariel Sharon, said the Israeli army radio. The radio added that the objective of Sharon's visit to France is to urge the French president to stop backing the notion of setting up a Palestinian state.

Two days earlier, the French La Figaro daily predicted that Sharon will received a lukewarm welcome when he arrives in Paris the same as he already received during his tour on several Western capitals. The French daily added that by refusing to receive Sharon, President Chirac actually expresses his dissatisfaction with Israel's freezing of the ME peace process and its agreements with the Palestinians.

Moreover German Chancellor Schroeder did not meet with Sharon during his last week s visit to Germany. The same lukewarm welcome met Sharon during his last visit to the US when President Clinton and Secretary of State Albright declined to meet with Sharon under the pretext of lack of time. It was more than once France and the European Union have slammed the Israeli government s obstruction of the ME peace process on all negotiation tracks.