Arafat's decision to reform PA courageous

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher Wednesday said that the announcement made by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on Wednesday was a natural outcome of an important phase of national struggle.

"President Arafat has seen that mistakes were committed and reforms should be introduced," said Maher. "So, he has courageously made his decision as a leader on introducing these important reforms into the Palestinian Authority."

Maher welcomed Arafat's courage and vision, adding that the step should not be confused with outside attempts to distort the image of the Palestinian Authority and President Arafat particularly.

Maher asserted that the Palestinian state is already in existence and has been declared before and that there is also the Palestinian National Authority.

"The Palestinian state is facing aggression. As for the official declaration of the state, I think it will be at a time the political leadership deems suitable and useful."

On reports about a meeting between the PA and Hamas movement in Cairo, Maher said that he had no idea about that, adding that there was no plan to hold such a meeting in Cairo.