Cook resumes visit to Israel

UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook resumed his visit to Israel and lands of the Palestinian Authority as he visited today Deir El-Balah camp for the Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip before he leaves for East Jerusalem through the secure passage that was opened yesterday.

Cook held for the second time a meeting with Faisal El-Husseini, the official in charge ofthe Jerusalem file in the Palestinian government, as the two previously met yesterday, as well as a separate meeting with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

Cook weclomed the progress in the peace negtiations with Israel, and he renewed the UK's confirmation of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, adding that the UK encourages the Palestinian interests in the European Union.