Arafat Agreed to Resume Security Meetings With Israel: Solana

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 26, 2002

Arafat Agreed to Resume Security Meetings With Israel: Solana

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Monday that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has agreed to resume trilateral security meetings with Israel as of Tuesday.

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European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Monday that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has agreed to resume trilateral security meetings with Israel as of Tuesday.

Solana told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah after a two-hour meeting with Arafat that the Palestinian leader has told him that he would resume the trilateral security meetings chaired by the United States.

The Palestinians suspended the security meetings after the Israeli security cabinet decided on Sunday to keep Arafat in Ramallah, where he has been under house arrest by the Israel army since early December.

Arafat said he agreed to resume the meetings because the request came from his friends the Europeans and Solana in particular.

"I cannot say no to this request," said Arafat, asking in return from the Europeans to send observers to monitor the situation on the ground in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Arafat said that despite of the Israeli military escalation against the Palestinian people, "we are committed completely to the peace of the braves and the peace process."

"We are in need for more and more of your help and support," Arafat told Solana.

The European official, who earlier met with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, criticized the Israeli restrictions on Arafat.

"We are trying to help remove the siege (on Arafat) as soon as possible," said Solana. "Arafat will be in a better position to fight violence if he is in a better position than now."

Solana said the violence that has claimed many Palestinian and Israeli lives should be stopped and the ceasefire should be maintained.

"We should do our utmost so this peace can be protected," said Solana.

Solana arrived in Israel late Sunday to start a five-day Mideast tour aimed at easing tensions in the region. Apart from Israel and the Palestinian territories, he will also visit Egypt and Jordan.

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