US: Time not right for French Mideast peace talks

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday poured cold water on a French proposal to convene Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Paris, saying there was no sign either side was ready to talk.

"Right now we are still in a wait-and-see attitude because we don't yet have any assurance from either party that they would return to negotiations," Clinton told reporters after a meeting with visiting French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, saying it would not be "productive" to have a meeting now. (Reuters)