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Arafat Urges for Joint Efforts to Push forward Peace Process
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat stressed in Gaza on Monday evening the necessity of mobilizing all efforts to push forward the Middle East peace process and establish genuine, fair and comprehensive peace in the "land of peace" and for all people of the region.
"The most important thing is to reach a genuine peace in the land of peace," Arafat told reporters after his meeting with the five-member U.N. fact-finding committee.
"Peace does not only concern the Palestinians or the Israelis but it is an international objective," he said, adding "we must work seriously to achieve this objective."
He voiced confidence in all members of the fact-finding committee led by former U.S. senator George Mitchel.
Arafat said that he was sure that the committee would exert all possible efforts to reach the target it was appointed for, namely establish "genuine peace."
The Palestinian people not only want to solve the current crisis, but also seek to protect, and push forward, the peace process, he noted.
Arafat said he made it clear to the committee that it was a must to implement the understandings of Sharm el Sheikh as soon as possible and push forward the peace process through the efforts of the committee members and those of the Arab, regional and world leaders.
Meanwhile, Mitchel said the committee was determined to do its best to reach the target for which it was set up, impartially and objectively, with a view to enhancing the peace process.
"We listened to Mr. President and knew from him how important to push forward the peace process not only for the Palestinian or Israeli peoples but for all the peoples of the region," the committee chief said.
"We will do our utmost effort to achieve our mission as soon as possible," he stressed.
However, he said "I know that there are many people who expect that our mission will be a failure, but I believe that the region needs no more failure."
"Therefore, we prefer to work for success," he added.
"We do not underestimate the difficulties ahead of us particularly when we know the great suffering and pain of the Palestinian people," Mitchel said, noting that Monday's meeting reviewed the crisis of the Palestinian people.
The U.N. fact-finding committee arrived here Monday evening from Israel where it held talks with Prime Minister Ehud Barak in the morning.
Barak promised that his country would cooperate fully with the committee to make its mission a success.
The committee, which is to investigate the over-two-month-old clashes between the Palestinians and Israeli forces, will conduct its work on the basis of reports worked out by the two sides without making any field investigations, to the disappointment of the Palestinians.
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