Arafat seeks India's help

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 23. With the arrival of the Palestinian leader, Mr. Yasser Arafat, today and the visit on Friday by a senior Israeli official, India is being asked by the two West Asian adversaries to help revive their peace talks.

While calling on the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, Mr. Arafat formally sought India's role to revive the peace talks with Israel. A foreign office spokesperson said Mr. Arafat also wanted New Delhi's backing for a U.N. General Assembly session on the West Asian crisis. Mr. Arafat pointed out that he supported the statement of G-8 on the prevailing situation as well as other international initiatives to end the strife in Israel and areas under Palestinian authority. He was accompanied by his chief negotiator, Mr. Erekad and chief adviser, Mr. Nabeel Abu Dineh.

The Prime Minister reiterated the need for the revival of the peace talks. There was no military solution to the dispute between Palestine and Israel.

Significantly, a special emissary of the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr. Shimon Peres, is arriving tomorrow. Mr. Y. Biran, senior Additional Secretary in the Israeli foreign office, will hand over a letter to the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, on behalf of Mr. Peres.

In a statement on arrival, Mr. Arafat said the Palestinians were ``facing military escalation. There is siege on our villages and towns.'' He said he had no objection to meeting Mr. Peres to revive the peace process as proposed by Germany. ``I have met Mr. Shimon Peres several times. Last time, I met him in Egypt. So we have no objection. We are waiting for a final response from Mr. Joshka Fischer (German Foreign Minister).''

On his visit to India, Mr. Arafat said he had come here for ``consultations.'' ``We have to carry on in the international field, specially the U.N., Security Council and the NAM. We are in need, no doubt of help of the Indian leadership'', he observed.

Mr. Arafat met the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi and the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, Ms. Najma Heptullah.

His meeting with the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, was cancelled as the latter was indisposed. He later left for Beijing en route Islamabad.

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