Jibril set his conditions to meet with Arafat
Palestine-Syria, Politics, 4/18/2001

The secretary general of the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine -general command- Ahmad Jibril has asked the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat to answer questions pertaining to the fate of the Palestinian Intifada and commitment to the PLO charter before meeting with him.

In a statement to AFP Jibril added " so far there is no definite date for the visit ( Arafat to be held for Damascus ) and this visit should be preceded by a delegation sent by Arafat to agree with our brothers in Syria on points that they should agree by the ultimate end." He added " this very Palestinian delegation is supposed to bring with it answers to certain questions raised by the Palestinian opposition in the past phase."

He explained that the " persistent question is that what is the political intention of the Intifada, what are the actual and practical means to strengthen it and not foiling it." He continued that the " objectives of the Intifada should include deterring the Zionist enemy from the occupied territories of 1967, unconditionally."

He said: " I think, that we in the opposition are ready to discuss in these two points with the Palestinian delegation which should precede Arafat." He added "if we find that matters are positive, things will be for the good and we will be persistent to reformulate the Palestinian national unity. We concentrate on giving once again the PLO its vital and effective role." Jibril added as saying that revitalizing the participation of the People's Front- general command in the PLO should be on the ground of commitment to the Palestinian national charter.

However, Arafat's forthcoming visit to Syria by the end of the current month will be his first official visit to Syria since 1996 after the tension of relations between the two sides because Damascus has blamed him for signing separately the Palestinian self- rule agreements with Israel. Arafat visited Damascus on June 2000 when he offered condolences on the death of the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad.

Previous Stories:
  Palestinian delegations resume visits to Syria   (4/17/2001)
  Qaddoumi: Syrian- Palestinian relations are improving   (4/16/2001)
  On Abdul Rahman's visit to Damascus   (4/10/2001)

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