Ramallah (West Bank), Nov 29: Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has launched a series of appeals to western leaders to relaunch the stalled Middle East peace process, one of his aides said.
In the written messages, sent to British Prime
Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac among
others, Arafat appeals for western leaders "to act to
relaunch the peace process" that has been stalled for three
years, his adviser Nabil Abu Rudeina told late yesterday.
Arafat also sent messages to German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, as well
as the leaders of Spain, Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, and South
Africa.
In the messages Arafat also told the leaders about
"developments in the Palestinian territories, continuing
Israeli aggression and the refusal of the Israeli government
to implement the roadmap" for peace backed by the
international community.
The appeals follow continued pressure by the United
States to shun Arafat to encourage the rise of a new
Palestinian leader.
They come ahead of the planned signing on Monday in
Geneva of an alternative Middle-East peace plan drafted by
opposition Israeli politicians and prominent Palestinians.
Bureau Report
