PARIS (AFP)--President Nicolas Sarkozy, who embarks on a four-nation tour of the Middle East on Monday, called key players before his attempt to rally countries behind a French initiative for a ceasefire in Gaza.
His office said Sunday he spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
"These conversations were to assess the situation before his trip to the region Monday and Tuesday," his press service said.
Sarkozy will be the first leader of a major power to visit the region since Israel began its military offensive on December 27 to retaliate against rocket attacks by Hamas, the Palestinian faction that controls the Gaza Strip.
French officials privately say they hope Israel's military campaign will have achieved its goals in the coming days, opening the way for serious discussion on ending the violence.
But they concede a breakthrough is far from certain.
France has no direct contacts with Hamas, considered a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States.
Sarkozy will be in Egypt, the West Bank and Israel on Monday and in Syria and Lebanon on Tuesday.
In an interview with three Lebanese newspapers to be published Monday Sarkozy said Hamas "bears a heavy responsibility in the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza."
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Publié le 04 janvier 2009 Copyright © 2009 Dowjones