Yasser Arafat is still alive, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said on Sunday. Barnier described the Palestinian president's condition as "very complex, very serious and stable," but did not give details about his exact condition or diagnosis.
"He's alive," Michel Barnier said. "His condition is very complex, very serious and stable right now."
Asked about reports that Arafat is in fact brain dead, Barnier replied: "I wouldn't say that."
Barnier said he will hold talks in Paris on Monday with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath and former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
The trio will also hold consultations with doctors about Arafat's health, Sha'ath told The Associated Press. Some reports said late Sunday that Qurei and Abbas are planning to bring back Yasser Arafat's body to Palestine.
Earlier, it was reported that Arafat has liver failure and his health condition is not improving. A Palestinian official said Sunday officials were contemplating moving Arafat to a Cairo hospital, Reuters reported. However, the official added that any decision to move the Palestinian leader could be taken only by the Palestinian leadership. (Albawaba.com)
