Arafat due to visit Washington next month

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is to due to visit Washington at the end of March to meet with US President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the US president's high-ranking assistants.

Palestinian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nabil Shaath told ArabicNews.com yesterday that Clinton directed an invitation to Arafat that focused on the developments of after May 4.

He said that European and Arab states expressed their readiness to recognize the Palestinian state at its announcement.

Palestinian sources said that President Arafat will declare in Washington following his talks with the US president that he is delaying the Palestinian state's declaration in response to a request from the US, and Arab and European countries.