Avigdor Lieberman in Europe

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman arrived in Rome yesterday for his first in a series of meetings that also take him to Paris,Berlin, and Prague. His trip is seen as an attempt to ease recent tensions between Israel and European states.  

Yedioth Ahronoth reports from Paris:

The trip, which is to be four days long, will begin in Italy, which is one of the countries most friendly to Israel at present in Europe.

Lieberman is to meet there with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Officials in the foreign minister's bureau said that Lieberman's trip is geared to prepare the ground for the presentation of the government's new peace plan and in advance of Prime Minister Netanyahu's trip to the United States. Lieberman will try to silence the voices within the European Union who have called for the process of upgrading the EU's relations with Israel to be suspended, pending progress on the Palestinian track. Furthermore, Lieberman will try to persuade the Europeans to agree to tighten economic sanctions on Iran, in the event that the American dialogue with Tehran should fail.

Based on what can be construed of the French media, Lieberman is going to have to deal with a critical media in Paris as well. The Nouvel Observateur website, which was the first to report Lieberman's anticipated arrival, described him as the "new and very controversial foreign minister of Israel."

"It will be polite and decisive," was how one French diplomat described the reception that Lieberman would receive to Le Monde. "As the foreign minister of a friendly country we can't not receive him."

Menahem Ganz writes in Yediot Acharonoth from Rome:

"If Israel is interested in Italy's support in Europe, it needs to prove its friendship and to present worthy positions," said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on the eve of the arrival of his Israeli counterpart, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in Rome.

   "Israel needs to state its desire to promote the peace process, to adopt the Quartet's decisions, to contribute to regional peace and to promote the dialogue with Syria," said Frattini. "It's no secret that not all of the European countries support Israel and feel sympathy for it, as we do.  If Jerusalem is interested in having us act for them in Europe, we need to be treated as preferred partners."

   The Italian foreign minister also intends to ask his Israeli counterpart, Lieberman, to "lower the tone in his statements and to act for an atmosphere of cooperation." Frattini underscored that "a constructive atmosphere is crucial."

   Frattini added: "this is the first time that Europe and the United States see eye to eye on the peace process, which has to continue on the basis of two states for two peoples, condemnation of terrorism and the ostracizing of anyone who does not recognize the right of the State of Israel to exist." He said that "Netanyahu's pragmatism in this case needs to lead."

   A number of weeks ago Frattini went on a first visit to Damascus, from which he returned encouraged. "President Assad clarified that they were prepared to hold negotiations without any preconditions," he said.

"As such, mediators are going to be needed. If Turkey is capable of filling that role-by all means. But if problems arise, Italy has already voiced in the past its willingness to serve as a mediator."