Tense Meeting Between Abbas and Sarkozy, French Newspaper Says

Paris- Nidal Hamadeh

It seems that the moment of truth has arrived for those who await the western promises to recognize the State of Palestine, and here they are, reaping their disappointment after buying the false promises and vows which are quickly revoked and forgotten once they serve Western interests.

Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, sets the best "disappointment example" to be given. Here he is visiting Paris, after 6 months have passed since President Nicolas Sarkozy, addressing the Arab revolutions, promised to recognize a Palestinian statehood in last September for nothing in exchange. On the contrary, it looks like the meeting between Abbas and Sarkozi on Friday, was "tense", as described by the French newspaper Le Figaro, issued Saturday morning. The newspaper indicated that ulterior motives lie behind the smiles of Sarkozy and the one-hour Elysée guest, Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas on his part didn't miss the chance to thank his host for reviving the peace process as he hoped that France will play a much more essential role in these efforts.
The French newspaper adds: "The silence of both official spokespersons at the end of meeting, hinted that, in essence, no progress was done ever since Palestine has applied for a full U.N. membership last month.

And in his quest for riding the Arab revolutionary wave through a French-lead Nato intervention in Libya, the French president has promised the revolutionists last June to recognize a Palestinian Statehood, following the advice of the Qatari foreign affairs minister, Hamad Bin Jasem Al Thani. The latter has persuaded Sarkozy that Netanyahu's agreement to a Palestinian Statehood due in September is essential to succeed in the plan set to overthrow President Bashar el Assad in Syria, thus besieging Iran, and conquering Hizbullah and Palestinian resistance movements.

On the 10th of last May, in a meeting held with the French president Nicolas Sarkozy at the Champs-Élysées, Hamad Bin Jasem told Netanyahu that the Arab Revolutions will be in favor of "Israel's" security. Al-Intiqad electronic website has published the details of this meeting last May.

In the framework of the promise not fulfilled by France in the United Nations and calling to accept Palestine as an observer state member in the United Nations instead, the newspaper "Le Figaro" says : Abbas considers that France's proposal will cause the Palestinian National Authority President to lose major political playing cards on the Palestinian internal level, adding that the Palestinians believe the French are dealing grimly with the Palestinian bid for a full membership in the United Nations.

The French newspaper also mentions a statement of a French diplomat comparing the Palestinian UN bid to "a speedy car hitting the wall while exerting more and more fuel, but we are doing our best to find a solution that suits all." Citing the same source diplomat the newspaper adds, "The Palestinian patient was placed in induced coma for his own interest, believing that "the Palestinians do not have the necessary nine votes in the Security Council and not much is expected from the Quartet for it has failed."

The French president Sarkozy, has criticized Qatar without naming it during the last Cabinet meeting before the new one saying "Someone has brought Abbas to the top of the tree and took away the ladder below him", which implies that France has withdrew its promise, after the fall of Gaddafi regime in Libya.