French prez meets Abbas, stresses fragility of Mideast
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President Francois Hollande has stressed the "fragility" of the Mideast situation with mounting violence in a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
In the meeting Thursday evening, the French president said that "recreating a political perspective is urgent," a statement from Hollande's office said.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is to meet with Abbas on Friday in Paris.
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The French statement noted the report this month by the Quartet of Mideast negotiators — the U.N., U.S., European Union and Russia — that said Israel's settlement expansion is eroding the viability of a Palestinian state and raises "legitimate questions" about its commitment to a two-state solution. It calls on Palestinians to "act decisively" to stop incitement to violence.
The French statement noted France's wish for an international conference.