Annan: Arafat Is the Only Interlocutor on Palestinian Side

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 11, 2001

Annan: Arafat Is the Only Interlocutor on Palestinian Side

President of the Palestinian National Authorities (PNA) Yasser Arafat is the only interlocutor of the Palestinian side in talks for settlement of the Middle East crisis, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday evening in an interview broadcast at French television France 2.

Annan was interviewed by France 2 reporters at a presentation ceremony in the Norwegian capital of Oslo where he and the U.N. were jointly awarded with the 100th Nobel Peace Prize.

Noting that Palestinians and Israelis alone could not reach an agreement, Annan said: "There must be exterior intervention and the intervention should come from the international community. We will work by four: the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations."

On the fate of Osama bin Laden, accused by the United States of masterminding the September 11 terrorist attacks, Annan said he wishes that bin Laden will be captured alive so that he will be brought to justice.

The justice will be done according to laws that apply to everyone instead of by a military court, he added.

When asked to list the most difficult interlocutors that he has ever met with during his past peace missions, Annan cited Iraqi President Sadam Hussein and former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo Laurent Kabila who was assassinated in January 2001.

Arafat Urges US Mideast Envoy to Stay to Help End Violence

Arafat Not to Attend OIC Conference