France to host Middle East peace conference

Egypt has offered to serve as a mediator in the summit, while Israel and Palestine would not participate in the summit

France is set to host an international conference to revive peace talks in the Middle East on June 3 in Paris, Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said.

The France-led initiative aims to "reaffirm the mobilisation of the international community in favour of the two-state solution and to identify ways to help Israelis and Palestinians to return to the path of peace," Ayrault said on Thursday night.

Egypt has offered to serve as a mediator in the summit, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ayrault added that Middle East Quartet (the US, Russia, the European Union and the UN), many Arab allies and European partners would attend the Paris conference.

 

However, Israel and Palestine would not participate in the summit.

The last round of peace negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian authorities broke down in April 2014 after the two sides failed to resolve their deep disputes on Israeli settlements, Palestinian state borders and security.