Sarkozy Tempers Kouchner’s Remarks on Palestinian State

French President Nicolas Sarkozy used a joint news conference with visiting Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud ‘Abbas to temper remarks concerning a Palestinian state that his foreign minister made to a newspaper on Sunday. FM Bernard Kouchner raised eyebrows when he said it might be that the international community will recognize a Palestinian state even before borders are drawn. On Monday, Sarkozy explained that Kouchner was offering a suggestion in the event talks remain stalemated, but that the goal is to see a Palestinian state set within recognized international borders. Sarkozy described the expected result of negotiations as being a state set within the pre-1967 borders albeit “with an exchange of territory” to compensate for new realities on the ground. Analysts at The Media Line suggest that Kouchner’s remarks were a boost to the idea of a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood following the model of Kosovo in 2008, and that the clarification by Sarkozy will not negate the boost the concept has received. Israel is vehemently opposed to unilateral statehood.