French President Jacques Chirac said Friday morning in Brussels that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is "under excellent medical treatment," but he refused to comment on Arafat's condition.

Attending a European Union (EU) summit here, Chirac said at a press conference that he shook hand with Arafat when he visited the Palestinian leader Thursday afternoon in the French military hospital where Arafat had been receiving treatment since Oct. 29.

He said the French side would provide the best medical treatment for the 75-year-old veteran leader, who was deeply loved by most Palestinians and widely seen as a symbol of decades of Palestinian struggle for an independent state.

However, Chirac refrained from commenting on the severity of Arafat's illness, saying he is not a "medical expert."

Chirac also refused to comment on the Middle East situation, as was done by Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende the day before.

"I don't think it appropriate to comment on the Mideast situation when the health conditions of Mr. Arafat are so poor," Balkenende said Thursday night at a press conference. Balkenende is presiding over the EU summit as the president of the European Council.

When asked whether Arafat's absence would "bring Israel and Palestine closer," Balkenende said: "It is not a right moment to talk about it."

There have been conflicting reports about the fate of Arafat since he was put under intensive care Wednesday night. A spokeswoman for Arafat on Friday denied earlier reports that Arafat was brain dead, saying he was in a "reversible coma."

Source: Xinhua