Arafat, Hawatmeh to confer in Cairo next week

The executive committee of the PLO is going to specify in its coming meeting the date for resuming the meetings of the Palestinian Central Council.

Meanwhile, Selim El-Zanoun, the head of the Palestinian National Council, said yesterday that the dialogue which is currently being held between Palestnian Preisdent Yassir Arafat's Fatah movement and Palestinian opposition forces is considered a preparatory step for convening the central council and the participation of all Palestinian forces in its meetings.

Zanoun said that boosting national unity was one of the subjects the central council stressed in order to confront the burdens of the coming stage.

Zanoun added that Arafat is due to head the delegation of Fatah movement during the dialogue, which will be held with a delegation of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, chaired by Nayef Hawatmeh, in Cairo next week.

He said this dialogue is considered an important and positive measure to boost Palestinian national unity, expressing his hope that all Palestinian forces will join the dialogue to bolster unity.