ARABS-ISRAEL - Oct. 15 - Arafat Urges Israel To Resume Talks.

After the meeting with PM Blair in London, Arafat says at a joint news conference at No. 10 Downing Street: "I call upon the Israeli government to immediately join us in resuming the permanent status negotiations". He ticks off an agenda: "Jerusalem, settlements, borders, refugees, security, water". He condemns again the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington and says Osama Bin Ladin was wrong to have carried them out in the name of Palestine. He adds: "Islam as a religion forbids anyone to harm any civilians, any innocent people around the world". The terror attacks and the current military campaign in Afghanistan should not be causes to delay peace talks, he says, adding: "On the contrary, I say it is time to reinvigorate the peace process". PM Blair says: "We are in complete agreement that now is the time to reinvigorate this process". The two leaders argue that the attacks on the US made pursuit of a settlement between Israel and the PA more urgent than ever. Blair says: "Too many innocent Palestinians and innocent Israelis have died in recent weeks, months, indeed years. We have a chance now today, and in the weeks and months to come, to put right the injustices that have for too long blighted our world and the Middle East in particular". Blair says he and Arafat have agreed on the ultimate goal of "a viable Palestinian state as part of a negotiated and agreed settlement which guarantees peace and security for Israel". He adds: "Osama Bin Ladin does not speak for the Palestinian people and their cause. In fact, his actions are designed to threaten the very fragile situation in the Middle East". He says he applauds Arafat's "efforts to control violent rejectionist groups within the ranks of the Palestinian people" and adds: "I recognise that Palestinian violence has significantly reduced in the last week". In a reference to US Pres. Bush's statement that Washington now favours a Palestinian state (see last week's Recorder), Arafat says: "What was declared recently by President Bush should have been declared before; it was supposed to be declared before Sept. 11". US officials say they are preparing a new initiative that they hope to have ready for presentation next month. Blair has made it clear that he feels Washington does not need to be persuaded that the time is right for talks. Asked what pressure he could bring on Sharon, Blair says: "In the end this process can only move forward if people want it to. What we are trying to do is to create the conditions in which it can move forward".