Posted on 06/30/2002 7:41:57 AM PDT by TLBSHOW
Arafat Says Ready to Meet Bush 'Anytime, Anywhere'
June 30 — By Andrea Friedli
CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat offered on Sunday to meet President Bush "anytime, anywhere" to promote Middle East peace despite Bush's call for his removal from power.
Arafat also referred to Bush's recent Middle East policy address, which effectively linked a future Palestinian state to Arafat's ouster, as "important," although he did not say in what way. "I would like to meet President Bush anytime at a place of his choice so we can work toward comprehensive peace," Arafat, speaking by satellite link, told an audience of businessmen and political leaders in this Swiss mountain resort.
He noted Bush was "the first U.S. president to propose an independent Palestinian state."
Bush, who has never met Arafat since taking office in 2001, has called for a new Palestinian leadership to pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
He has also demanded that Arafat's Palestinian Authority carry out democratic reforms and establish new security arrangements with Israel to halt suicide bombings. But Arafat, who has announced fresh elections for next January, said that it was impossible to carry out reforms while Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territory remained "complete and total."
"It is absolutely impossible. None of my ministers can come and visit me and hold any meetings. It is impossible to achieve reform in such a situation," Arafat said through an interpreter.
CONDEMNS SUICIDE BOMBINGS
The Israeli army has reoccupied seven West Bank cities in sweeps for militants after suicide bombings killed 26 Israelis last week. Some 700,000 live under tight curfew, which is lifted only occasionally for food and shopping.
Arafat, who again condemned the suicide bombings, said that he was ready to go "anywhere in the world" to renew peace talks, but the Israeli government was not interested in a just solution to the conflict.
"Of course we are against terrorism, we are making every effort to end terrorist acts, particularly against Israel," he said in reply to a question.
Arafat said a Middle East peace conference, once favored by the State Department but apparently on a back burner, could take place if there were sufficient international commitment.
We already fumigated it.
Having found out that the way of terrorism has not worked he now accepts Oslo, wants to meet with W, condemns terror bombings, blah-blah-blah-blah-blah. What a contemptible pig Arafat is.
Any time your're feelin' lonely
Any time you're feelin' blue
Any time you feel downhearted
That will prove your love for me is true
Any time you're thinkin' about me
That's the time I'll be thinkin' about you
So any time you say you want me back again
That's the time I'll come runnin' back to you.
How's Laura and the kids?
Your Pali,
Yassir
Leni
Arafat is used to being kept waiting by US Presidents, but not for quite as long as that.
Translation - "A meeting with Bush might save my sorry ass...".
I just bet he would, the gory slimetoad.
He should have thought of that before sending out the human bomb brigade. GW meant what he said about a power change, and I think he knows it won't happen legitimately as long as Arafat's alive. The whole concept of a seperate state for Palestinians is ludricrous to me anyway. These people are nothing but arab gypsies who congregated along the West Bank after other Arab nations gave them the boot.
He might meet with him at some point, provided he survives Israel's onslaught, for the sole reason of appearing with the olive branch in one hand while holding arrows in the other.
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