Israeli foreign minister in Paris for meetings with French authorities
By: Associated Press
Published: August 23, 2006
Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni was in Paris for meetings with her French counterpart, Philippe Douste-Blazy, on Wednesday, less than a week after the French disappointed the U.N. and other countries by pledging only 200 new troops to the peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
Livni was also to meet with Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, the French Foreign Ministry said.
The meetings were to focus on the situation in Lebanon since the U.N. Security Council was adopted and also touch on renewed efforts to find a "global solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Livni was to travel to Rome on Thursday for talks with Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema. Prime Minister Romano Prodi said Monday that Italy was prepared to head a U.N. peace force in southern Lebanon, taking the place of the French. Italy intends to contribute a force of 3,000 soldiers to the force.
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.