Arafat visits Rome

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is paying a formal visit today to Rome and the Vatican in which he will meet with the Italian foreign minister and Pope John Paul II to discuss the celebrations in Bethlehem for the year 2000.

The Palestinian leader's advisor, Nabil Abu Radina, said on Thursday that Arafat will deliver a statement during the celebrations at the Vatican on the occasion of the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus.

He also added that Arafat will discuss with Pope of Vatican the developments of situations concerning Jerusalem, and Israeli violations in Jerusalem and the methods of supporting the Palestinian cause and Israeli settlement in cities affiliated to Jerusalem.