Palestinian President Yasser Arafat will meet US Secretary of State Collin Powell in Paris in the middle of this week, US officials said on Saturday.
The officials, cited by Israel Radio, said that the Bush administration had concluded efforts to arrange a meeting between Powell and Arafat.
CNN reported that the US concluded discussions with Palestinian representatives concerning the meeting because the “Americans want to see a change on the Palestinian side regarding the violence,” said the radio.
It added in a report Saturday that In Washington, the attempts to arrange a meeting between Powell and Arafat are now on hold.
"Our message is this -- we need to see some different behavior," said a senior US official. "Otherwise, sitting down with either side is a waste of time."
Powell also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon late Friday. Sources said Powell came away from the call frustrated.
But an aide to Arafat said on Thursday that there were no arrangements for such a meeting.
The PLO representative in Washington, Hassan Abdel Rahman, said Wednesday that Arafat and the secretary would meet in Europe within the next ten days, citing Paris as a possible venue.
US officials, cited by Haaretz newspaper on Thursday, also confirmed the report.
Arafat will visit France late this month for talks with President Jacques Chirac - Albawaba.com
