June 6, 2003	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 5, 1424

DOHA, June 5: European representatives have told the United States they will maintain contact with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat despite objections from Washington, a senior US official said on Thursday.

US President George W. Bush has refused to deal with Arafat and instead wants to work exclusively with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, who Mr Bush met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt and Aqaba, Jordan, this week.

“They (the Europeans) are going to, for their own political reasons, meet with Arafat. That’s their choice. We basically say we don’t think it’s a good idea,” said a senior official in the US entourage with Bush on a visit to US ally Qatar.

Israel and the United States have sidelined the Palestinian leader, who remains an icon of Palestinian nationalism, accusing him of fomenting anti-Israel violence, an allegation he denies.

Mr Arafat has been largely confined to his Ramallah headquarters since Dec 2001 following a spate of suicide bombings against Israel. He ceded some of his powers to Mr Abbas in April under US and European pressure.

Mr Bush told reporters on Air Force One on Wednesday the subject of Arafat did not come up in his talks with Abbas and other Arab leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh.

One motivation for the Europeans to keep in touch with Mr Arafat is to encourage the long-time Palestinian leader not to act as a spoiler in the current effort to carry out the US-backed Middle peace “road map” and eventually achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

US officials have acknowledged that Arafat remains a powerful influence among the Palestinians.

Officials said that after the Aqaba talks, US Secretary of State Colin Powell called other members of the Quartet that drafted the road map.—Reuters