On Sharon 's meeting with Palestinian officials

The chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat has stated that the meeting held on Wednesday between the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and the Palestinian officials Ahmad Qrei, Mahmoud Abbas and Muhammad Rasheed was a step in the right direction and was held at his own consent.

In an interview with the Israeli daily Maareve issued on Monday and broadcast by the Israeli radio also on Monday, Arafat added that this meeting proved the need of continued contacts between the two sides and also on the good intention between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The paper indicated that reserve Maj. Gen. Maer Daghan who attended the meeting proposed to the Palestinian side the Israeli security demands.