Military

DATE = 11/11/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ARAFAT/FRANCE (L)

NUMBER=2-320348

BYLINE=LISA BRYANT

DATELINE=PARIS

HEADLINE: French President Pays Tribute to Arafat

INTRO: The first services marking Yasser Arafat's death were held in France, as French President Jacques Chirac and his government paid their respects to the memory of the 75 year-old Palestinian leader, who died at a French military hospital early Thursday morning. Lisa Bryant has more from Paris.

TEXT: The tributes poured in all day, as French intellectuals, Muslim leaders and politicians of all stripes saluted Mr. Arafat's memory and speculated about the future of peace in the Middle East.

Early today (Thursday) French President Jacques Chirac visited the Percy Military Hospital in the French suburb of Clamart, where Mr. Arafat died at 3:30 in the morning, local time.

Mr. Chirac told reporters that France would continue to work for peace and security in the Middle East.

In an interview on France-Info radio, former French president Valery Giscard dEstaing described cementing ties with Mr. Arafat 40 years ago, when he sent his foreign minister to meet the Palestinian leader.

//DESTAING ACT IN FRENCH, FADE UNDER//

Mr. Giscard dEstaing said he realized at the time that Mr. Arafat best represented the dreams of the Palestinians. And he expressed sadness for the death of the Palestinian leader, who lingered in a coma for eight days before passing away.

France forged among the closest and most long-standing ties with Mr. Arafat of any European country. The relations were unofficial as well -- such as those held by prominent French Jewish writer and peace activist Marek Halter. Mr. Halter first met Mr. Arafat 35 years ago, and introduced the Palestinian leader to his future wife, Suha. In an interview with VOA, Mr. Halter said he last saw an ailing Mr. Arafat in early September, at his West Bank office in Ramallah.

//HALTER ACT//

Im sad, because of all 35 years of intellectual fighting and relationship created a kind of real friendship. For the other side, Arafat belonged to the generation of the desert. The Moses generation.

//END ACT//

That generation, Mr. Halter believes, was not able to make peace with the Israelis. But he thinks a new generation of Palestinian leaders can do so.

Soheib Bencheikh, Grand Mufti of Marseille, also expressed sadness about Mr. Arafat's death.

//BENSHEIKH ACT, IN FRENCH, FADE UNDER//

In a telephone interview with V-O-A, Mr. Bensheikh said Mr. Arafat evolved into a person who talked about peace. We must all bend before God, he said, and beg for his mercy. But with Mr. Arafat's death, he added, the world must now start thinking about creating a peaceful future in the Middle East. (SIGNED)

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