French FM urges Lieberman to restart Palestinian talks
150 people chant anti-Israel slogans outside French foreign ministry ahead of FM's arrival; 'Lieberman, get lost, no fascism here,' they say
France's foreign minister on Tuesday urged Avigdor Lieberman, on his first visit to Europe as foreign minister, to restart the peace process with the Palestinians, French officials said.
"Bernard Kouchner recapitulated France's expectations, in particular concerning the creation of a viable Palestinian state coexisting in peace and security with Israel," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"He underlined the urgent need to restart negotiations with this objective in mind," said the statement issued after Lieberman met Kouchner and other senior French officials in Paris.
The leader of Yisrael Beitenu party has sparked criticism by saying the new cabinet was not bound by the previous government's decision in 2007 to revive negotiations with the Palestinians.
A small crowd of anti-Israeli protestors chanted slogans outside the French foreign ministry as Lieberman met Kouchner.
"They are rolling out the red carpet for a notorious fascist," said Olivia Zemor, the head of a pro-Palestinian group, who joined some 150 activists who chanted slogans such as "Lieberman, get lost, no fascism here."
After France he will continue to Prague and Berlin. There were no plans to hold a press conference after his meeting with Kouchner, after which he was due to meet President Nicolas Sarkozy's chief of staff Claude Gueant.
