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U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said his meeting Sunday with PA Chairman Yasser Arafat was "useful and constructive."
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| By israelinsider staff April 14, 2002 |
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U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said his three-hour meeting today with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat in Ramallah was "useful and constructive" but did not indicate that progress had been made towards achieving a cease-fire. Powell said he and Arafat "exchanged a variety of ideas" and talked about "steps on how we can move forward." Powell is to meet with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon tonight.
Powell reportedly presented Arafat with the clear message that "the bombings have to stop, that they are a major barrier to moving forward" on security and political issues, including Palestinian statehood, a senior U.S. official told the Associated Press.
Powell's meeting with Arafat was made possible after Arafat and the Palestinian leadership issued a condemnation of "violent operations targeting Israeli civilians," in particular Friday's suicide bombing at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem in which four Israelis and two Chinese workers were killed, and over 85 people were wounded. The Palestinian announcement also condemned alleged Israeli "massacres" against "Palestinian civilians and refugees? in the city of Nablus, the Jenin refugee camp and the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem."
Arafat did not speak to reporters after the meeting, but senior negotiator Saeb Erekat said Arafat was "absolutely" pledged to curb violence against Israelis. "When the Israelis complete the full withdrawal, we will carry out our obligations," Erekat added.
The meeting was also attended by Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker Abu Ala, PLO Executive Committee Chairman Abu Mazen, Gaza Strip Preventive Security Chief Muhammad Dahlan and senior Palestinian official Muhammed Rashid. Israeli tanks pulled back from positions surrounding Arafat's besieged presidential compound prior to Powell's arrival.
Dahlan told reporters the Palestinians would not discuss proposals for a cease-fire with the Israelis until the IDF had fully withdrawn from Palestinian territories and eased closures on Palestinian cities. Dahlan said Powell's meeting with Arafat proved that Sharon had failed in his efforts to delegitimize Arafat's leadership.
Palestinian officers are due to meet with American officials on Monday to discuss rebuilding infrastructure in Palestinian cities damaged by Israeli military operations, Dahlan said. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told CNN that Israeli representatives will also take part in the meeting and Israeli sources confirmed this, ynet reported.
Powell will meet with Sharon in Tel Aviv Sunday evening to report on his meeting with Arafat. Powell is scheduled to meet again with Arafat on either Monday or Tuesday. He is due to travel to Beirut on Monday to meet with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and media reports suggest that he may go to Damascus to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in attempts to restrain the Hizbullah from firing on Israeli targets on the Lebanese border.
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