Arafat, French FM Discuss Situation in Palestinian TerritoriesPalestinian leader Yasser Arafat met with visiting French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine on Thursday, December 14, to discuss the latest development of the situation in the Palestinian territories and ways of saving the peace process.During the meeting, Arafat stressed the necessity for France and the European Union (EU) to play a more effective role in helping promote the Middle East peace process, Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath said after the meeting. Vedrine, whose country is holding the rotating EU presidency, arrived in Gaza earlier in the day after a short visit to Egypt. He will further hold talks with Israeli officials. Shaath said that Arafat and Vedrine agreed on the necessity to adhere to the peace process and to exert every possible effort to help push the process forward. The Palestinian minister urged France to play an active role in helping stop the bloody clashes in the Palestinian territories and realize a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. The Palestinian territories have been rocked by nearly 11 weeks of clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians, sparked by Israeli violation of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem. The violence has left more than 310 people dead, most of them Palestinians. Vedrine expressed deep concern over the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, noting that there were strong reactions in the European public opinion to the current situation. "I will discuss, upon my return home, a number of ideas with EU Mideast peace envoy Miguel Moratinos to find a way out of the current misery," he said. The French minister stressed EU's readiness to make every possible effort to help bring the peace process back on track. |
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