Arafat hopes Megawati to assist Palestine's struggle

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat welcomed the appointment of Megawati Sukarnoputri as Indonesia's fifth president, in replacement of Abdurrahman Wahid, and expressed hope that she would help the Palestinian people's struggle, reported the Indonesian news agency ANTARA.

The Palestinian leader expressed hope in his congratulatory cable to President Megawati that the newly-elected Indonesian president would help the Palestinian people's struggle to regain their land occupied by Israel.

"In her capacity as the leader of the world's largest Moslem country, President Megawati will hopefully put pressure on Israel to return Palestinians' rights they have seized," the Palestinian President said.

Diplomatic ties between Palestine and Indonesia suffered a minor blow during the Abdurrahman Wahid government when Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab asked President Arafat to recall his ambassador in Jakarta. But the Palestinian government rejected the request.

The Palestinian envoy had criticized president Wahid who tended to support Israel over the Middle East conflict, says Indonesian news agency (Antara).