Arafat to Bush: Palestinians regret Israel's rejection of Mitchell's report

President Yasser Arafat assured US President George Bush that Palestinian Authority (PA) is committed to accept and implement the Mitchell Commission's report and the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative as a package.

During the telephone conversation made in Paris between both of them on Wednesday, Arafat expressed deep regret over Israel's rejection of Mitchell's report, Palestinian Local Government Minister Saeb Erekat told Voice of Palestine Radio on Thursday.

"Arafat asked Bush to immediately interfere to halt the incessant Israeli aggression on the unarmed Palestinian people and to back an idea for holding a conference to be attended by the parties which took part in Sharm El-Sheikh summit together with Mitchell commission's members," he said. "Bush promised to discuss the matter," he added.

"Bush told Arafat that he will send US Ambassador to Jordan as an envoy to the Middle East to discuss with Arafat recommendations cited in the report," he said.

On the possibility of holding a meeting between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Arafat, Erekat said that this matter was not examined during the telephone conversation.

"The French and Palestinian views were almost identical toward the issues raised for discussion between Arafat and French President Jacques Chirac," Erekat added.

The Palestinian Leader asked Chirac to act through the EU to take more decisive stance, Erekat added, noting that Europe is taking advanced steps regarding the Palestinian cause more than this undertaken by the US which is still hesitant.

"Arafat's talks focused on means of putting into effect the Egyptian-Jordanian overture and Mitchell's report as a package without exception," he said.