PARIS, March 19, 2010 (AFP) - US Middle East envoy George Mitchell will hold talks with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Paris on Saturday, a spokesman said, amid tensions over Israel's move to build settler homes.
    Mitchell has delayed a scheduled visit to Israel and the West Bank amid US anger over Israeli building plans for east Jerusalem, which were announced as indirect Isareli-Palestinian talks were due to start.
    A senior Palestinian official told AFP that Mitchell was expected to travel to the region on Sunday.
    French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said Mitchell would have a working meeting with Kouchner on Saturday in Paris. The US envoy last met with Kouchner in Paris in January.
    France has condemned Israel's "ill-timed and illegal" decision to authorise the building of 1,600 homes for Jewish settlers in occupied east Jerusalem.
    The Middle East diplomatic quartet seeking a peace settlement urged Israel on Friday to stop building settlements and set a bold target for a final deal with the Palestinians by 2012.