March 23, 2002	Saturday	Muharram 8, 1423

PARIS, March 22: Yasser Arafat says that he is definitely planning on being in Beirut in March 27 for the Arab League summit. “I am the president of the Independent State of Palestine,” Mr Arafat told the French daily Le Figaro in an exclusive interview, “and we are a member of the Arab League. Also, I have the habit of assisting at all Arab summits. I used to attend them even before Palestine became a full-fledged member of the Arab League when I headed the PLO.”

Asked whether once in Beirut he was afraid of not being allowed to return to Palestine, as Prime Minister Sharon has intimated in recent days, Mr Arafat let it be known that “it’s not the first time that I have to face such threats.”

“We are discussing the details (of such threats by Mr Sharon),” says Mr Arafat, “but I also have my methods that I’ve already applied on numerous occasions. When I was banned previously from moving about, I managed — through the use of disguises and false names — to make my way to Al Quds, Nablus, Gaza, indeed here at Ramallah where we are talking. And the Israelis are perfectly aware of what I’m capable of doing.”

As far as officially returning one day to Al Quds, Mr Arafat responded that not only did he plan to return to Al Quds, but that he would be doing so “very soon.” Also, he notes, he has never been in fear of Prime Minister Sharon, “whose methods I’ve been familiar with a very long time. Also, I know Sharon too well for him to be able to fool me. Our relation goes back a long time, when I was in the Egyptian army.”

“Today I am an old general,” continued Mr Arafat, “and Mr Sharon has never managed to stop me from doing what I want. Back in 1982, when he invaded Lebanon, Sharon had told his Prime Minister Menaghen Begin that he would finish up the work in three days and that he’d take me back as a prisoner. Not only did he not take me back as a prisoner, the result was instead the longest war that Israel has had to fight with the Arabs.”

With regard to a rumoured meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney in Cairo, Mr Arafat said he was still awaiting an “official” invitation, but that in any case Cairo would be the first of several trilateral meetings that would be necessary before peace could be seriously envisioned.

“It’s very important that these other meetings take place. And that they discuss the basis of a future peace: that is, application of the Tenet and Mitchell plans.”