Message from Clinton to Arafat to postpone Palestinian statehood
Palestine, Politics, 4/19/1999

Well-informed Palestinian sources in Ramallah have said that US President Bill Clinton will send a message to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, pushing him to postpone the declaration of the Palestinian state on May 4, SANA reported

The sources, who asked not to be identified, said this message comes in the framework of the agreement approved during the meeting held between Arafat and Clinton in March in Washington. The same sources expected that the message will be dispatched prior to convening the Palestinian central council on April 27, when a final decision will be announced on the declaration of the Palestinian state.

The sources indicated that Clinton's message will not state a direct US request to postpone the declaration of statehood. The message, rather, falls in the context of attempts made by the US to back Arafat's position to take such a decision, especially as Arafat is facing a strong movement inside the ranks of the Palestinian central council demanding the declaration of the Palestinian statehood at the said date.

The sources said the Palestinian leadership received assertions from the US administration, saying that the message includes strong confirmations to exert intensive and continued efforts on the top levels after the end of the Israeli elections on May 17 to give the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations a push forward and to carry out agreements signed between the two sides.

Previous Stories:
  Arafat arrives in Libya   (4/17/1999)
  US and Israel on the verge of major rift over settlements   (4/16/1999)
  Intensifying settlements in Palestinian lands   (4/13/1999)
  Arafat looms the possibility of postponing the announcement of the Palestinian state   (4/9/1999)

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