Netanyahu, French officials discuss peace efforts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met France's prime minister and foreign minister Thursday, wrapping up a trip marked by differences with Washington and Paris over Jewish settlements.

Netanyahu has been pressing his bid for a demilitarized Palestinian state in his meetings in Italy and Paris, and says the idea is gaining international ground.

He held closed-door meetings Thursday with French Prime Minister Francois Fillon and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. Fillon's office provided no details of the discussions.

Kouchner planned to "remind (Netanyahu) of France's expectations concerning the peace process, which we want quickly restarted," according to a statement from Kouchner's office ahead of the meeting. Kouchner was heading later Thursday to a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Trieste, Italy, where Mideast tensions and Iran's postelection unrest were expected to be high on the agenda.

Netanyahu had another meeting planned in Paris that fell through: He had planned to see the top U.S. Mideast envoy, but called it off in an apparent sign of growing friction over President Barack Obama's call for a halt to construction in Jewish settlements.

The U.S. position could spell political trouble for Netanyahu, whose government depends on patrons of the settlers.

A statement from Netanyahu's office said the meeting with George Mitchell, which had been scheduled to take place in Paris on Thursday, would be put off while Israeli Defense Minster Ehud Barak meets Mitchell in Washington next week and tries to bridge the gaps. An aide traveling with Netanyahu said Jewish settlements were "one of the issues which needs to be worked on."

In talks with Netanyahu on Wednesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy echoed Obama and insisted on a complete and immediate end to construction in Jewish settlements.

The French president, who defines himself as a friend of Israel but whose country has traditionally good relations with much of the Arab world, urged faster action toward creating a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu leaves France on Thursday afternoon for Tel Aviv.