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Last update - 05:07 22/06/2008 France cooling to Syria, Sarkozy will tell Olmert in Jerusalem visit By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: France, Nicolas Sarkozy  France has pledged to Israel that it will slow down its rapprochement with Syria until Syria shows its willingness to distance itself from the extremist axis, particularly Iran. That is the message French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to bring Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at their meeting on Sunday in Jerusalem, according to diplomatic sources in Israel and France. Preparatory talks for Sarkozy's visit were held last week in Paris between Olmert's advisors Yoram Turbowicz and Shalom Turgeman and Sarkozy's advisers Jean-David Levitte and Claude Gueant. Two days previously, the teams had met with senior Syrian officials - the French in Damascus and the Israelis in Istanbul through Turkish mediators. Turbowicz and Turgeman have reportedly asked France to tread carefully in its contacts with Damascus, because Syria has still done nothing to gain international legitimization. Olmert's advisors also said that France is a very important element in Syria's disengagement from the "axis of evil," and therefore "cards must be kept aside to be played in the coming moves." Advertisement Sarkozy's advisors told the Israelis that they understood the concerns, and went to Damascus mainly because of Syria's assistance in the presidential election in Lebanon that had ended the political crisis there. The French reportedly conceded that they "may have been hasty," and added that they intended to "put on the brakes a little" with regard to Syria. Sarkozy's advisors also said that the Syrians told them in Damascus that talks with Israel were "serious," and the Syrians "want to move ahead." France and Syria have been moving closer in recent weeks after several months of rift due to the situation in Lebanon. One sign of the rapproachement was a phone call between Sarkozy and Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Sarkozy's invitation to Assad to the summit of Mediterranean countries in Paris on July 13. The conciliation with Syria has been criticized in France, among others by Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner who said he was uncomfortable with Assad's invitation to Paris. Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni will arrive in Israel this evening as the guests of President Shimon Peres, together with a delegation of seven French cabinet ministers, 80 business people, 40 leading members of the French Jewish community and approximately 100 journalists. Sarkozy was due to fly with Peres to the Dead Sea, where the Israeli president was to present his Peace Valley project, but a schedule change canceled this event, as well as Bruni's planned dip in the Dead Sea. Immediately after the official reception, the two presidents will hold a working meeting under the grape arbor at the President's Residence. Sarkozy will then meet with Olmert, followed by a dinner at which Olmert and Sarkozy will be joined by their wives. On Monday Sarkozy will visit Yad Vashem and address the Knesset, where he is expected to stress France's commitment to Israel's security. Some events will relate to Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations and aim at strengthening French-Israel ties. The French ministers accompanying Sarkozy will meet with their Israeli counterparts to discuss various joint projects. On Monday, Sarkozy and Bruni are due to lunch at a Benedictine monastery, followed by a meeting with Palestinian intellectuals at the French Consulate in East Jerusalem. Later Monday, Sarkozy will meet with the family of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, followed by a reception for the French community in Israel at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, dinner for 250 guests at the President's Residence and speeches by Peres and Sarkozy. On Tuesday, the French president will meet with opposition leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu, Bruni will visit sick children at Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem, and Peres will present Sarkozy a Renault electric car. After Sarkozy and Peres attend a conference of French and Israeli business people, Sarkozy will head to Bethlehem to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and will leave the country following a farewell ceremony at Ben-Gurion International Airport. Related articles: French education panel advises against Sarkozy's Holocaust studies program Suez revisited: France to announce involvement in Israel-Jordan Peace Canal Daniel Ben Simon / The sin of Nicolas I Sarkozy's leftist Bookmark to del.icio.us   Sarkozy's promise 'France will never compromise Israel's security' Israel's agenda Is an Israeli strike on Iran still on the government's agenda?   1.   FRANCE does not like Syrias thugs in Lebanon acting for Syria 06:47  |  PETER SM 22/06/08   2.   i hope sarkozy enjoys his visit to the bethlehem prison! 07:25  |  eric 22/06/08   3.   No change in Syria`s relationship with Iran. 09:57  |  Jean Van Daem 22/06/08   4.   Finally the french 05:29  |  Slappy 23/06/08

Read & React Iran threatens 'devastating' response if attacked by Israel Responses: 334 Israel: There will be no Shalit deal unless Hamas is flexible Responses: 95 Yossi Melman: Israel is a long way from attacking Iran Responses: 139 Report: N. Koreans worked on Iran nukes at Syria plant hit by IAF Responses: 112 Gideon Levy: Does Israel really want peace? Responses: 119 Rosner's Domain Why do non-Jewish Americans support Israel? Will we see a record number of Jewish lawmakers? (2) Comparing Obama and Chamberlain (WTR) Guests: intermarried Jews are more distant from Israel The Joe Lieberman dilemma More Headlines 02:55 Hezbollah deal delayed over demand to include Palestinian prisoners 04:58 Report: Israel to free 1,000 prisoners in exchange for Shalit 03:43 ANALYSIS / Prisoner deals - risk of an unsolved mystery 23:40 Sarkozy: There won't be Middle East peace without Syria talks 05:44 Why do non-Jewish Americans support Israel? 03:09 Frustrated and losing hope, Shalit's parents fight Gaza cease-fire 06:49 What are 300 Anglican clergy doing in Jerusalem? 19:19 Panel: Germany gave Israel NIS 61.5 billion, Holocaust survivors got about half 01:46 Barak ignores Olmert threat, vows Labor will vote to dissolve Knesset 03:11 Route 66 victims paid with their lives for lack of NIS 9-million lane divider 05:19 Family of 17-year-old suspect defend him; classmates saw 'toy criminal' 06:24 Iran threatens 'devastating' response if attacked by Israel 22:42 Minister Ayalon: Israeli Arabs should have 'cultural independence' Previous Editions Select Day 22 jun 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun 10 jun 09 jun

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