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Arafat Seeks International Help, Ready to Talk to Sharon
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat Thursday called for international help to restart the Middle East peace process in his unscheduled visit to Austria, and said he was ready to talk with Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon.
After meeting with Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel for nearly two hours, Arafat told the press that the Middle East peace process needs a push from United States President George W. Bush, the European Union (EU) and "especially our friends in Austria."
Meanwhile, Arafat said he was still committed to negotiating with Sharon. "We are waiting for contacts with Sharon after he forms the new government."
Arafat also described the Palestinian's economic situation as " very difficult" due to hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars of Palestinian tax revenues frozen in Israel. He thanked the EU, the World Bank and "certain Arab states" for their financial support.
Schuessel called for Palestine and Israel to "end the spiral of violence." He warned that peace in the Middle East is of absolute importance to Europe and he hoped peace talks could resume as soon as a new Israeli government is finalized.
Asked why Arafat was coming to Vienna, a Palestinian diplomat, on condition of anonymity, referred to the historically strong relations between Austria and the Palestinian people, dating back to Socialist Chancellor Bruno Kreisky in the 1970s.
"We have old and deep relations," he said, adding that Arafat could remain in Vienna until Friday.
In June 1979, Kreisky became the first Western head of state to receive Arafat in Vienna despite an outcry from Israel. Austria and Palestine established diplomatic ties at the ambassadorial level in 1988.
Arafat will meet Austrian President Thomas Klestil and Defense Minister Herbert Scheibner on Friday.
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