The British government has signalled its determination to
stay close to Donald Trump’s administration in Washington by refusing to send a
high-level delegation to the Middle East peace conference organised by the
French government. Neither a Foreign Office minister, nor the UK’s ambassador
to France will be attending.
Most large EU countries have sent their foreign minister, and
the British approach may give a signal of future UK policy choices. The French
regard the conference as a vital chance to restate the case for a negotiated
two-state solution between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Trump’s transition team reportedly told French diplomats
that they disapproved of the conference going ahead, seeing it as an attempt to
put unfair pressure on Israel, and give an unjustified reward for the
Palestinians. The British government probably fears the conference risks
becoming a means to circumscribe future US policy on Israel before the Trump
team has settled on an agreed policy.
It is a primary tenet of UK foreign policy that the “special
relationship” with the US is critical to the UK, and with Britain expected to
leave the EU in two years, it may feel an even greater need not to alienate
Trump.
To read the
story,visit
www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jan/15/uk-snubs-middle-east-peace-summit-in-paris-to-keep-trump-onside
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