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Monday, 15 October, 2001, 23:23 GMT 00:23 UK
Blair calls for Palestinian state
Blair said they had a "very good discussion"
Tony Blair has said during talks with Yasser Arafat that he wants to see a viable, Palestinian state.
The Prime Minister said he wanted to "reinvigorate" the peace process, but denied suggestions that talks were aimed at blunting Arab and Muslim anger at the air strikes in Afghanistan. His view coincided with recent comments by President George W Bush, but he insisted: "It is important in its own right, irrespective of what happened on 11 September."
Mr Arafat urged an immediate resumption of negotiations with Israel, repeating his call for an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital that would exist alongside the Jewish state. Foreign Office minister Peter Hain told BBC Two's Newsnight programme that a Palestinian state was vital for security in the region and even referred to the Palestinian Authority chairman as "President Arafat". Peace agreement Mr Hain called the Downing Street talks a "very important path-breaking step" but declined to speculate on whether sanctions would be used to force either the Israelis or Palestinians to make concessions. "It's not a question of pressure or sanctions, it's a question of making it clear to both Israelis and Palestinians that the international community wants to see them talking, negotiating and getting the peace agreement that I believe is there for the negotiating." "The world is not going to stand by any longer and allow this conflict to continue."
Mr Hain also courted controversy by saying that UN resolutions, which have demanded the return of "Old Jerusalem" to the Palestinians and the end of Israeli settlement in the West Bank, will have to form part of the "background" to talks. But Israeli Government spokesman Avi Pazner told the BBC that the Palestinians would have to do more to enforce a ceasefire and arrest Palestinian militants before any more progress could be made. Mr Pazner told the BBC that the idea of a Palestinian state was "one of the options". Conflicting signals He said: "We are eager to see a resumption of negotiations, but we have to see first that the ceasefire is holding on the ground. "We will not start negotiations under fire." Mr Arafat's visit comes amid conflicting signals on the ground in the Middle East, with Israel pulling troops back from Palestinian-controlled areas in the divided city of Hebron, but also resuming its policy of killing suspected militants.
Palestinians have accused Israel of instigating violence to undermine Mr Arafat's visit, which comes at Mr Blair's invitation. Mr Arafat's visit to London has angered many Israelis. Zalman Shoval, a senior foreign policy adviser to Mr Sharon, told the Today programme Mr Blair knew Mr Arafat was an "unrepentant terrorist". It is possible that Mr Blair will stage a similar meeting with Mr Sharon early next month, when the Israeli prime minister is scheduled to visit London for a charity event.
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