Brussels, 23/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - France has not given up all hope of successfully carrying out its idea of a Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) despite the current lack of progress which has led to postponement of the summit that was to be held in Barcelona on 21 November. France plans to make this a key element of its foreign policy. Such comments, taken up by the French press, were made by President Nicolas Sarkozy in a speech on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Franco-Arab Chamber of Commerce.
The French president said his country would not give up but acknowledged that the conflict in the Middle East was a serious obstacle to the UfM. “We shall do everything possible to rekindle peace talks”, he promised, “but France believes reflection on the method followed for reaching a settlement remains necessary”. He said he was “convinced a more collective, concerted, rapid and determined approach was needed”. “I wish to denounce blocking of the peace process because this not only prevents two peoples - the Israeli people and the Palestinian people - from living normally side by side in peace and security, but in addition it puts a brake on development throughout the region”, the French president said. Sarkozy is, in theory, to complete his two-year tenure as co-president of the UfM (with Egypt) with the Barcelona summit. (F.B./transl.jl)