FM Shalom in Paris to meet French counterpart

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom was in Paris Thursday to meet his French counterpart, Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy to discuss issues includin

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom was in Paris Thursday to meet his French counterpart, Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy to discuss issues including the Middle East peace process. France will raise how to push forward a US-backed peace plan for the region - known as the road map - following Israel's evacuation of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said this week. "French authorities will reiterate to Mr. Shalom their willingness to help turn the withdrawal from Gaza into the start of a process leading rapidly to the implementation of the road map in order to reach a fair and lasting solution of the conflict," he said. Shalom was scheduled to meet French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday and attend a dinner Saturday organised by the CRIF umbrella group of French Jewish organizations in the southern city of Toulouse.