Kuwait- Hollande confirms planned Mideast peace conf. postponed

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) PARIS, May 17 (KUNA) -- French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday confirmed that a planned Mideast peace conference due to be held in Paris on May 30 has been officially postponed.

Speaking on "Europe 1" radio, the President noted that Israeli and Palestinian representatives had indicated they would not attend the May 30 meeting, scheduled to be held in the French capital.

"They cannot come on May 30," Hollande said of the main parties, adding that the peace conference "is delayed" but will take place during the summer.

"It will take place. It will take place in the summer," he stressed.

"This initiative is necessary because if nothing happens, if France doesn't undertake a strong initiative what will happen?" Hollande asked. He said failure to do something would lead to more "settlement building and terrorist attacks" and encourage a certain number of other conflicts.

Hollande urged efforts to get the Israeli and Palestinian parties to talk directly together and said that the international community must work in this direction.

"We are going to create with all the parties - the major countries and the neighbouring countries - the parameters that will allow Israelis and Palestinians to meet at the negotiating table," the French leader noted. Hollande gave no potential date for the new conference here. (end) jk.hb