Russian president tells Arafat he is ready to visit Palestine next month

Russian President Boris Yeltsin has asserted to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat his readiness to visit Palestine at the beginning of next month. He expressed "Russia's unwavering backing of the efforts made for a just settlement in the Middle East."

On Tuesday night, the Palestinian President left Moscow heading for Cairo following a 24-hour visit to Moscow during which he met with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and talked with the Russian president, who is hospitalized, for half an hour.

In a press conference he held in Moscow on Tuesday, Arafat said that the visit of the Russian president to Palestine "will help in reviving the Middle East peace process." He praised the "excellent relations between Russia and Palestine," and expressed his thanks for the help given by Russia to the Palestinians in various fields.

Today, Israeli Foreign Minister David levy will start a visit to Moscow.