Lieutenants in Paris: Arafat moves to ‘Stable Condition’
By Raza Mumtaz - Pakistan Times Executive Editor

PARIS (France): Whereas stories of varied style vis-à-vis the factual status of health of the venerated leader of Palestine, Yasser Arafat go on with, rooming the world-over, the French military hospital rayed an icon of hope for the good Monday, with a bulletin that the apex symbol of the freedom struggle in the Middle East was now in ‘stable condition’.

Yet, at the same time, the sanatorium authorities imposed an embargo on visits to Arafat’s bedside by any-one, which may obstruct the aims and objectives of a 3-member delegation, composed of top Palestinian leaders, which flew into the French capital late in the night to have a gaze at the ailing leader, known as a unique spirited soul of the 20th century epoch.

Of Mêlée

The delegation is of-late developed a mêlée with Arafat’s wife, wife, Suha who accused the Palestinian leaders of plotting to "bury him alive. I appeal to you to be aware of the scope of the plan," Suha Arafat said on an Arabic satellite television, monitored in the West Bank.

"They are trying to bury Abu Ammar [Arafat] alive," she said in comments that flew in the face of efforts by Arafat's lieutenants to project an image of unity and business as usual at a time when many Palestinians fear chaos—if he [Arafat] dies.

"Abu Ammar is well and he is coming back to his homeland," Suha Arafat said sans giving any details about Arafat's illness and accusing the three leaders of ‘being anxious to succeed him.’

Intensive Care Unit

Pakistan’s first independent E-Newspaper ‘Pakistan Times’ understands via credible sources here in Paris that the much-loved, much-admired and much-respected Arafat is still receiving treatment in an intensive care unit at the hospital in Clamart and his up-date condition has been phrased as ‘stable’ by the chief surgeon, Christain Estripeau.

Recap

Arafat has been hospitalized near Paris since October-29, in a critical but, now with a stable condition by the Palestinian and French medical officials.

The Top Lieutenants

Three of Arafat’s top lieutenants, Mahmud Abbas, Ahmed Qorei and Nabil Shaath flew into Paris on the twilight of Monday to visit their bedridden leader.

A decision to this effect was taken after the weekly cabinet meeting, which was held in Ramallah, situated in the West Bank wherein the trio decided they would go to Paris, come-what-may.

Shelve Plans?

Earlier news said that the three lieutenants of Yasser Arafat had shelved plans to visit the ailing Palestinian leader, which was subsequently changed.

Chirac to see Delegates

The French President Jacques Chirac will hold talks today, Tuesday with the Palestinian delegates, who have travelled to Paris to see the unwell Yasser Arafat, the Elysee palace said on Monday. President Chirac is to see them at 4.30 p.m. [1530 GMT] today, Tuesday.

Accusations Rejected

Back to Gaza, a deputy Palestinian cabinet minister hit back Monday at accusations by Arafat's wife that top Palestinian leaders were plotting against her critically ill husband and wanted to see him die.

"Yasser Arafat is not the private property of Suha Arafat," Sufian Abu Zaida said in interview with Israeli radio. ‘The Palestinian people don't know her’, he argued.

Successor to Arafat

Meanwhile, a report from Leon says that Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos flew briefly to Damascus this weekend to take part in quiet diplomacy over finding a successor to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, official sources confirmed on Monday.

The visit by Moratinos, a former European Union special envoy to the Middle East, was "very short and very discreet", a Spanish foreign ministry spokesman said on the sidelines of a Spanish-German summit in the northern city of Leon.

Secretly Flown to Syria

Newspaper El Mundo reports that earlier he had flown secretly and stayed for only a few hours in the Syrian capital on Sunday to discuss a possible successor for Arafat, who is struggling for his life in a French hospital with the same dynamism, vigour and determination—as he [Arafat] applied for the Palestinian cause.

Moratinos had talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Shareh and Palestinian leaders to "achieve consensus between Palestinian factions allowing a peaceful transition after Arafat's fatality," ABC quoted Spanish diplomatic sources as saying.

Arafat has been in a hospital near Paris since October-29.

Plea by Powell

In May, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Spain should be considered a strong candidate to host a proposed international Middle East peace conference, based on its past record in dealing with such events.

The Quartet

He noted successful results achieved at a Middle East peace conference in Madrid in 1991, which set the stage for the first Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the creation in Madrid last year of the international diplomatic "quartet" on the Middle East.

In weekend press interviews Moratinos predicted better relations with the United States and said he was planning to intensify "with immediate effect" consultations on two regions, one of them the Arab world.●