U.S. Confirms Receipt of 'Positive Letter' From Arafat

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 12, 2002

U.S. Confirms Receipt of 'Positive Letter' From Arafat

The United States confirmed on Monday that it has received a "positive" letter from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat but is still studying it.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The United States confirmed on Monday that it has received a "positive" letter from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat but is still studying it.

"We see it as a positive letter. We are currently studying it," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at a news briefing.

Without disclosing the contents of the letter, Boucher said that the U.S. is looking for "strong, resolute and irreversible" actions along the lines that Arafat indicated in the letter. "As we have said many times, actions must follow words," he noted.

The spokesman said the letter, addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, was delivered to Ron Schlicher, U.S. consul general in Jerusalem, at the weekend.

Meanwhile, for the first time over the past two months, the U.S. used harsh words to criticize Israel's bombing of Palestinian targets in Gaza in the past few days, which left at least 37 people injured. Adjacent U.N. offices were also damaged in the attacks on Sunday.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Bush: U.S. Will Remain Engaged in Mideast

Sharon Responsible for Current Wave of Violence: Arafat

Peres Welcomes U.S. Refusal to Sever Ties With Arafat

>> Full Coverage