French envoy says 'nothing is automatic' for Mideast talks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}France's foreign minister says the country would not automatically recognize a Palestinian state if the peace process fails.
In comments Wednesday during a visit to Cairo, Jean-Marc Ayrault appeared to walk back comments made by his predecessor Laurent Fabius that France would recognize a Palestinian state if a renewed push for peace negotiations failed.
Ayrault restated France's desire to hold an international peace conference, but added that, "There is no precondition."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}France has for months been preparing to hold a conference that would bring together the two parties and their American, European and Arab partners to revive the peace process.
A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the issue. Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the French proposal "baffling" and bound for failure.