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| Middle East |
| Arafat signs framework for Palestinian constitution |
| 2002-05-31 |
| Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has signed a package of laws granting basic rights to his people and regulating his government, officials said Thursday, just before world diplomats began arriving to press him for reforms. Arafat signed the Basic Law, which had been sitting on his desk for five years, on Tuesday. Palestinian officials, however, did not confirm the signing until Thursday. It is a kind of framework for a constitution. Meanwhile, a parade of diplomats headed to Ramallah. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns was the first to see the Palestinian leader. Afterward, Burns expressed support for negotiations that would result in a Palestinian state and "supporting Palestinian efforts to build strong institutions," a reference to the demands for reforms. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer also met Arafat Thursday, and Osama el-Baz, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's political adviser, was due for talks Friday. Over the weekend, CIA Director George Tenet is to begin a mission aimed at restructuring the myriad and competing Palestinian security services. After meeting Fischer, Arafat said "we have already started" the reform process, noting that he had signed the basic law and others governing the judiciary and banking systems. The sudden stream of high-level diplomats to the region indicated renewed world efforts to put an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict before it threatens other world efforts, like the struggle against international terrorism. Uhuh. This should be (yawn!) interesting... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |