Arafat confers with Burns

The chairman of the Palestinian Authority PA Yasser Arafat on Saturday in Ramullah met with the US under secretary of state for the Middle East affairs William Burns. During the meeting preparations were made for the tour of the US secretary of state Colin Powell to the region next week. The tour aims at strengthening the cease- fire process between Israel and the Palestinians.

Palestinian sources said the US official will meet after Arafat the chairman of the Palestinian legislative council Ahmad Qrei' and the media official at the PA Yasser Abd Rabbu and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Oreikat.