U.S. Backs Abbas But Rejects Appeal to Drop Arafat Boycott

[Dover]

Friday September 5, 9:40 AM

US backs Abbas but rejects appeal to drop Arafat boycott

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States gave firm backing to embattled Palestinian prime minister Mahmud Abbas but rejected his appeal to drop a year-old boycott of Yasser Arafat.

The State Department welcomed Abbas' recommitment to the faltering "roadmap" for Israeli-Palestinian peace and lauded his demand for full control over the Palestinian security apparatus.

But it stressed that President George W. Bush's July 2002 determination that Arafat is not committed to peace with Israel and decision to declare him persona non grata would stand despite what Abbas might say.

"Our view on Arafat is unfortunately based on many years of experience and attempts to work with him, many years of his failing to deliver and we have not changed our view in any way," spokesman Richard Boucher said.

"Our position is a conclusion reached over a long time based on experience and we don't expect to change it," he told reporters. ....MORE>>

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