U.S. mediator meets Arafat

U.S. Middle East peace mediator Dennis Ross arrived in Madrid on Tuesday to meet with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to discuss reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

U.S. diplomatic sources said that Ross and Arafat would hold talks over the obstacles in the Israeli-Palestine peace talks and plans for declaring independent Palestinian state on May 4th.

Arafat is scheduled to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and Foreign Minister Abel Matutes. He is also expected to meet with King Juan Carlos.

Arafat's visit is part of a tour to several Europeans states for discussions over declaring the Palestinian state.