Last chance for Middle East peace, says Palestinian leader

The Palestinian leader,Yasser Arafat, has warned that the talks due to be held next week with President Clinton in Washington are the last chance to save the Middle East peace process.

Mr Arafat, who is in Jordan, said it was vital that further Israeli troop withdrawals from the West Bank should be discussed at the talks in which Mr Clinton will have separate meetings with Mr Arafat and the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, in Syria, President Assad told the visiting French Foreign Minister, Hubert Vedrine, that he welcomed an active role by France, and other European countries, in trying to secure peace in the region.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service