Sarkozy wants EU at the table

“Sarkozy wants Europe in on the talks,” headlines Le Figaro. The French president, who met his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on 27 September,wants a “change of method” in the Middle East peace talks. Specifically, he called for the active involvement of the EU and theUnion for the Mediterranean, which he says is “affected by this conflict”. As editorialist Pierre Rousselin points out: “Though it provides the bulk of the funds for the peace process, Europe is persistently sidelined. But it’s always there when it comes time to sign the cheques.(…) Without the roughly €300 million annual injection, the Palestinian Authority would no longer exist, and there would be only Hamas to talk to.”