17/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - Spain is now one of France's “privileged strategic partners”, just as Germany is, in helping to take forward European integration, President Jacques Chirac announced after the 19th Hispano-French Summit which took place in Gerona on 16 November. “An enlarging Europe can only operate effectively if centripetal forces are also strengthened, and, at the heart of these forces, which ensure the proper functioning of Europe, are Germany, France, Spain and Italy,” he declared at a joint press conference with Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero. The two also proposed a new European initiative (already backed by Italy) on the Middle East. This initiative will probably be put to the next European Council on 14-15 December. It provides for a ceasefire to be put in place, the formation of a Palestinian government of national unity, the exchange of prisoners, a team of observers to be sent to Gaza and a peace conference to be held. (hb)