French FM visits Israel, Palestine

The French foreign minister will meet with Palestinian and Israeli leaders on Saturday and Sunday during a visit to the region to encourage negotiations, his spokesman said Friday. Laurent Fabius will meet with President Mahmoud Abbas and caretaker premier Rami Hamdallah, as well as representatives of Palestinian civil society. In Israel, Fabius will meet with President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, negotiator Tzipi Livni and several ministers, his spokesman said in a statement. Fabius will "encourage his Palestinian and Israeli interlocutors to continue the direct peace negotiations that were resumed at the end of July," the statement said. "He will convey to them France's determination to support these efforts and to encourage the conclusion of an agreement that will put an end to the conflict, in a climate of trust and dialogue." Fabius will also reaffirm France full support for the establishment of a viable Palestinian state and call for deepening economic relations with Israel, the statement added.