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France says Abbas’ absence a threat to peace | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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PARIS (AP) – France’s foreign minister says Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ decision not to run for re-election is a “threat to peace” in the Middle East. Turkey’s foreign minister says he hopes “the decision by Mr. Abbas is not his final decision.”

France’s Bernard Kouchner and Turkey’s Ahmet Davutoglu held talks in Paris on Friday.

Kouchner said Abbas’ generation is the best hope for settling the Mideast conflict and that Abbas’ decision is “a threat to peace, for us also.”

Kouchner also said French officials will discuss peace efforts when the Syrian president and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit Paris next week. Abbas announced Thursday he doesn’t want another term, blaming the stalemate in peace talks.