Brussels, 26/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - If Europeans want to act as moderators in the Middle East, they will have to take a more balanced approach, warned Israeli foreign minister Sylvan Shalom in an interview with Le Figaro on Thursday following his meeting with French foreign minister Michel Barnier (see yesterday's Europe, p.4). Shalom said he had discussed with Michel Barnier the upcoming vote at the UN General Assembly on the West Bank security barrier, adding that it was very important for Israel that countries did not vote the same as a few weeks ago for a Palestinian resolution condemning the barrier. He said Israel had been very surprised by the vote because a series of countries had assured Israel they would be abstaining. He said that it was very important morally for the resolution not be supported by European countries at the General Assembly, and that if it was decided to send the question to the Security Council, it was important for the European countries on the Security Council, France, the UK and Germany, not to vote for it. (See Europe of 23 July, p.9 and 24 July, p.4.) Shalom said 'we were not talking about' sending an international force to Gaza, but Europeans can help in the application of reforms of the security services and combatting corruption (in the Palestinian Authority) and could also help in the reconstruction of Gaza.