Military

DATE=7/17/02

TYPE=INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

TITLE=SCHLOMER-MIDEAST

NUMBER=3-257

BYLINE=VICTOR

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

INTERNET=

/// ED'S: AVAILABLE IN DALET UNDER SOD/ENGLISH NEWS NOW INTERVIEWS IN TODAY OR YESTERDAY FOLDER /////

HOST: The United Nations, Russia and the European Union Tuesday openly disagreed with the United States on the issue of the future of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Following a meeting in New York Tuesday, U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan said all members of the so-called diplomatic quartet share President Bush's vision of two states - Israel and Palestine - living side-by-side in peace. But Mr. Annan indicated that the U-S diplomatic partners did not support Mr. Bush's call for a change in the Palestinian leadership. The U-N chief said the world body still recognizes Chairman Arafat and will continue to deal with him until the Palestinians decide to elect another leader.

News Now's Victor Beattie spoke with foreign desk editor Frank Schlomer (sh-leh-muhr) of the Brussels-based daily "De Morgan," a newspaper aimed at the Dutch-speaking populations of Belgium and the Netherlands about the disagreement over Mr. Arafat:

MR. SCHLOMER: There is one very simple but fundamental element, that the Palestinian people should decide on their own who will be their leaders. We have the impression and we are confident that it is not possible that someone from the outside can just say you have to change your leaders; if not, we are stopping to help you any further. It is up to them. And as far as Mr. Arafat is concerned, it could be a pity but it is just so. He is elected by the Palestinian people. And if ever he will be a candidate, which he announced I understood -- I've been reading it on my very recent wires -- he said he will be a candidate again. So it is up to nobody else than just the Palestinians to decide on that.

MR. BEATTIE: The Bush administration obviously agrees on that point, but they say that Mr. Arafat has been given sufficient time to reach peace with Israel and so far has not. Is that a position that the Europeans reject?

MR. SCHLOMER: No, not really objecting. We have very much doubts and questions about Mr. Arafat. He is indeed the man who is the leader of the Palestinian people, since (for) years and years the historic leader. But he did not arrive until now to make a consistent and stable peace with Israel. Of course he is the man of the Oslo agreements. He is the man who shook hands, this historic handshake in Washington, with Mr. Rabin. He is in power all the time, but actually he is not able, I should say, to work out a peace agreement with Israel, which is not easy of course. But yes, we have these kind of remarks and criticisms on his behalf too. That's right.

MR. BEATTIE: Is the Bush administration too focused on the Palestinian leadership and not focused perhaps enough on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories?

MR. SCHLOMER: I think I should agree with this, because of course there is a problem on one side. There is the problem that Arafat never prepared, I might say, some kind of successor, people who can come after him. But this is typical for leaders in the Arab world; it's not only a Palestinian problem. Indeed, there are maybe some three or four people who could be new Palestinian leaders, but this is all not so clear.

On the other hand, I would say, indeed, the United States and the Bush administration, we have the impression here in Europe, rather forgets or does not want to see that there is a permanent military occupation of Palestinian territories.

HOST: Frank Schlomer of "De Morgan" in Brussels. U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell acknowledged that it is the right of the Palestinian people to choose their leaders. But he said he believes a way will be found to work with the Palestinians and Israelis.

Mr. Powell also met with foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan in New York. They are to hold further talks this week in Washington, where they will be joined by the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia. Arab leaders have expressed their frustration with U-S focus on Mr. Arafat. They say Israel's continuing occupation of Palestinian towns is the main obstacle to peace in the region.

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