Yasir Arafat will come to France during the first week of May to meet with French President Francois Mitterrand, according to Foreign Minister Roland Dumas.
It will be the Palestine Liberation Organization leader’s first official visit to a major Western country. Diplomatic circles here believe it will serve to strengthen PLO ties with Western countries.
In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir spoke out bitterly Sunday against the impending Mitterrand-Arafat meeting.
“Mr. Mitterand portrays himself as a friend of Israel,” Shamir said in remarks to reporters. “But this meeting entirely contradicts any spirit of friendship between us.”
“I regard it with the utmost gravity,” he added.
Dumas, in a radio interview Saturday night, said Mitterrand has not deviated from the stance he explained to the Israeli Knesset during his trip to Israel in 1982 — namely, “full backing for Israel’s security but also recognition of Palestinian legitimate rights.”
The minister said that after Arafat’s declaration in Geneva last December recognizing Israel and renouncing terrorism, there was no reason to further delay such a meeting.
Dumas confirmed that the visit is “official,” as Arafat will be arriving in France at the president’s invitation.
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