Posted on 05/01/2008 5:12:31 PM PDT by rmlew
UNIS, April 30 (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must not be allowed to obstruct his planned Union for the Mediterranean, which he said would "change the world".
Sarkozy aims to launch the new grouping of 27 European Union countries and their southern neighbours in Paris on July 13.
He was forced to scale back plans for a full EU-style "Mediterranean Union" after fierce resistance from Germany, which feared it would split the EU and siphon off common funds.
Last month, EU leaders agreed to a limited form of union involving a regular summit between EU and Mediterranean leaders, with a joint presidency and a small secretariat.
Syria, Libya and some other Arab countries also appear lukewarm over the project as it might suggest an indirect normalisation of their relations with Israel without any settlement of the Palestinian conflict.
"I know that, inside the project of the Union for the Mediterranean, there is the issue of Israel and the issue of Palestine," Sarkozy said.
"I'm fully aware that all this is in the background ... but this should not stop us acting. It should encourage us to act."
He was addressing university students at the end of a three-day visit to Tunisia to boost cooperation on trade, nuclear energy and migration between the two countries.
"Failure ... would mean taking a terrible responsibility towards our children and all future generations," said Sarkozy, adding that the new Union "will change the world".
He dismissed fears that the plan would tie EU states into an unwanted political corset, saying the new grouping would allow some states to work closely together and others to stay on the sidelines.
"Everyone should stay calm. No one is imposing anything," he said. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; writing by Lamine Ghanmi; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
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