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Share sovereignty over Jerusalem: Sarkozy

— Photo: AFP

Taking a stand: France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy (left) and Israel’s President Shimon Peres in the Knesset on Monday.

France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy told Israel on Monday to share sovereignty over Jerusalem with the Palestinians and to stop building settlements in the occupied territories.

In an address to Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, Mr. Sarkozy promised support in helping to halt Iran’s nuclear programme and praised Israel’s democracy, comments for which he won applause. However, Mr. Sarkozy spoke strongly about what he expected of Israel as part of the peace process with the Palestinians. “

There cannot be peace without an immediate and complete halt to settlement,” Mr. Sarkozy said, adding: “There cannot be peace without recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of two states and the guarantee of free access to the holy places for all religions.”

Although his comments do not mark a change in French policy, they were unusually frank for a Knesset address and went a long way further than a speech to Knesset last month by U.S. President George Bush.

Although the U.S. roadmap, which is still the basis of the current peace talks, requires Israel to halt all settlement activity, the government continues to authorise construction in east Jerusalem and West Bank settlements, provoking criticism from the Palestinians. Mr. Sarkozy also called on the Palestinians to do more to tackle militant violence, one of their main roadmap requirements.

Of Iran, Mr. Sarkozy said: “France is determined to pursue, with its partners, a policy of progressively tougher sanctions. An Iran equipped with nuclear weapons is unacceptable for my country.”

During his three-day visit, Mr. Sarkozy will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2008

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