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Palestinians Back Saudi Peace Plan
Monday, March 25, 2002
l'Agence France-Presse

On the chances of Arafat attending the summit, Shaath said they were "minimal", adding, "as things are at present, president Arafat will not come to Beirut." Arafat has been cooped up in his West Bank headquarters in Ramallah by the Israelis since December 3.

BEIRUT -- AFP
The Palestinians totally support the Saudi peace initiative for the Middle East and are sure it will be approved unanimously at this week's Arab summit, Palestinian international cooperation minister Nabil Shaath said on Monday.

But he played down the chances of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat joining the some 20 Arab heads of state meeting here Wednesday and Thursday, in a joint interview with AFP and France's international radio station RFI.

Shaath, in Beirut to take part in ministerial meetings ahead of the summit, underlined "three clear and positive aspects" of the proposals being put forward by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. "This initiative calls in the first place for Israel's withdrawal to the borders of the Arab territories it occupied after June 4, 1967, which will mean a dismantling of Israeli settlements and the evacuation of east Jerusalem."

"Secondly, it recommends the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital."

"Thirdly, it calls for a just solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees on the basis of resolution 194 of the United Nations General Assembly", which demanded the right of return of Palestinians who fled after the creation of Israel in 1948, or compensation for those who did not go back.
(More: The Times of India News Source)
2002 © l'Agence France-Presse (AFP).

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