Arafat and Annan meet to discuss peace process

Palsetinian President Yasser Arafat met today with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan after arriving in Gaza as part of his visit to the Middle East.

Annan's plane arrived at El-Arish airport, and Annan traveled to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. He will move on to Israel tomorrow.

Annan held his meeting with Arafat immediately after his arrival in Gaza.

Nabil Shaath, the Palsetinian minister of international planning, said the meeting dealt with Israel's implementation of UN resolutions and international agreements concerning with the Palestinian case, in the hopes that Annan can succeed in resurrecting the peace process.

Shaath will travel to France for a one-day visit in which he will inform the French leadership of the outcome of the meeting between Annan and Arafat and discuss the French role in this regard.