Talks between Arab states and the international diplomatic "quartet" in New York on Tuesday are to focus on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's future role, analysts and diplomats said. Foreign ministers Ahmed Maher of Egypt and Marwan Moasher of Jordan, along with a representative of Saudi counterpart Prince Saud al-Faisal, will attend the New York meeting with top officials from the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia. The three Arab ministers will then meet Wednesday in Washington with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and later with President George W. Bush. Powell will try to convince the Arab side to accept a US strategy aimed at marginalizing Arafat, without discarding him completely. The U.S. Secretary of State reiterated on Monday that the Bush administration would like to see a new Palestinian leadership, but said he would be willing to consider a plan whereby Arafat would be "kicked up upstairs" to another position.
They'd better hurry the hell up and set up his sinecure position, because after this morning's bus bombing Netanyahu was talking about kicking him out again... |