RAMALLAH (voa) – U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says Sunday’s talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat were useful and constructive.
After the three-hour meeting at Mr. Arafat’s heavily-damaged Ramallah headquarters, Mr. Powell said he and the Palestinian leader discussed specific steps on moving forward. He said staff-level meetings between his and Mr. Arafat’s delegations will continue Monday.
As Sunday’s talks began, a cordon of Israeli troops and tanks parted to allow Mr. Powell’s convoy to approach the battered Palestinian facility, which has been under siege by Israeli forces for more than two weeks.
After the talks, Secretary Powell appeared alone outside the Palestinian leader’s wrecked office building to talk to journalists. Palestinian officials say Mr. Arafat stayed inside for security reasons.
Israeli forces resumed their positions as Mr. Powell left Ramallah for meetings in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Secretary Powell had planned to meet Mr. Arafat on Saturday. But he postponed the talks after another Palestinian suicide bombing in Jerusalem killed seven people Friday.
The secretary of state agreed to meet with Mr. Arafat only after the Palestinian leader issued a statement in Arabic condemning all terrorist activities against civilians, including Friday’s attack.
The militant group Hamas immediately rejected the statement, saying it will continue attacks against Israel.
