Schroeder calls on Europe to pressure Arafat

The German Chancellor Schroeder said on Thursday that Europe has to pressure the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to launch a strong campaign on every one who carries out attacks against Israel.

Schroeder told the ARD TV before his talks with the US President in Washington on Thursday that " Of course pressure should be made on Arafat to move decisively now against every one who launches terrorist attacks against Israel.. attacks that take place every day." Schroeder said that the US has to play a leading role in the efforts towards strengthening the dialogue in the Middle East and that he supported the continued participation of Europe to this effect.

He added that no body can replace the US role in the Middle East even the Europeans can not do so. He continued:" the Europeans can play their own role and the Germans also. The German foreign minister Yushka Fischer is taking part in the peace process and will return back their in February." He said that this matter depends on the fact that every side plays its own role so as the negotiations process will return back to its right track.