Arafat wants EU role in Mideast

The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has called for the European Union to play a more active role in the Middle East peace process.

Speaking in Athens, where he'd been holding talks with the Greek Prime Minister, Costas Simitis, Mr Arafat said assistance from the EU was necessary to ensure peace in the region.

Mr Simitis condemned Israel's policy of closure of Palestinian areas, denying one sixth of the labour force access to their jobs in Israel.

He said the economic exclusion was blackmail. Mr Arafat arrived in Athens from Austria where he had said he was ready to resume peace talks with Israel's Prime Minister-elect, Ariel Sharon.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service