France is prepared to take part in an "international presence" in the Gaza Strip following a planned Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said Monday. "We have stated our availability to take part, at the appropriate moment, including through an international presence whose format remains to be determined", Barnier said, flanked by his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Maher.
Has Maher wiped the shoe prints off yet?
"Europeans as a whole are ready to prostrate commit themselves," said Barnier, pointing out that last Friday, the 25-member bloc’s summit saw the Israeli withdrawal as an opportunity to relaunch the Middle East peace process. For his part, Maher said Egypt "needed" France and Europe to pay for stuff play a role in aftermath of the Israeli withdrawal, but said it was premature to say what that role might be. "It is a little early to specify what this role will be," he added. "We are in the middle of talks".
"We haven’t worked out the exact amount of baksheesh jizya tax protection money just yet."
Egypt has offered to send up to 200 personnel to the Gaza Strip to train a 30,000-strong police force to maintain security in the territory during and after next year’s promised Israeli pullout. "The Egyptian commitment is definitely strategic," said Barnier. "We will support Egypt’s role after an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza".
"Cuz we sure don’t want the Paleostinians putting the moves on our wimmin."
After talks with Maher, Barnier met Egypt’s pointman on the Middle East, intelligence chief Omar Souleiman, before seeing Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa in the afternoon.
And much tea was sipped along with the ritual batting of eyelashes and flirtatious, yet knowing, smiles. |