News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner hopes the leadership changes on the horizons of both Israel and the United States will not delay talks of Israel giving land and sovereignty to the Palestinian Authority in exchange for promises of less terrorism.

Kouchner Sunday met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other leaders. The French Minister reported that he'd been told of "real progress" in those negotiations, but he is concerned that the sides are waiting for the next governments. The United States presidential election is next month, and Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni is scrambling to form a new coalition.