Arafat Must Take Actions Against Terrorism: Sharon

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 07, 2001

Arafat Must Take Actions Against Terrorism: Sharon

Israeli Prime Minister ArielSharon has reiterated that Palestinian National Authority ChairmanYasser Arafat must take stern measures against terrorism in a bidto create the suitable surroundings for negotiation, according tothe website of Ha'aretz daily on Thursday.

Sharon made the remarks when he met with visiting EgyptianForeign Minister Ahmed Maher at his office in Jerusalem Thursdayafternoon, said the daily.

Sharon stressed that Israel will not negotiate with thePalestinians under fire, adding that he will only negotiate withArafat once the latter shuts down the terror organizations in thePalestinian territories.

According to the prime minister, Arafat must arrest allterrorists, dismantle terror and armed Palestinian organizations,and stop incitement.

On the same occasion, Maher expressed deep sorrow about thevictims on both sides of the conflict, and urged that the cycle ofviolence be stopped.

Maher, who is visiting Jerusalem as Egyptian President HosniMubarak's special envoy, has reportedly conveyed Mubarak's warningto Israel against harming Arafat and his leadership in theauthority. It is his first tour to Israel as the foreign ministersince he took the office in May this year.

After his meeting with Sharon, Maher is expected to meet withhis Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres and President Moshe Katsav.The Egyptian foreign minister is also scheduled to leave for theWest Bank of Ramallah to hold talks with Arafat.

Mubarak has in the past played an important role as a mediatorbetween Israel and the Palestinians in thorny negotiations overcease-fires and the terms of peace accords.

The Egyptian mediation, however, has been broken off by officialprotest on Israeli military policies on the Palestinian uprising,with a hard diplomatic recall of the Egyptian ambassador to Israelin November 2000.

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