France cools expectations of swift Palestinian state recognition

France on Friday dampened expectations Paris could rapidly recognise a Palestinian state, with the French foreign minister saying while it was “determined” to make such a move, recognition had to be more than “symbolic”.

France is due later this month to co-host with Saudi Arabia a UN conference in New York on a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

There had been expectations that France could recognise a Palestinian state during that conference, with…