Trust Russia, Yeltsin tells Arafat

BETHLEHEM, JAN. 7. Breaking into tears prompted by what he said was his joy at meeting the Palestinian leader, Mr. Yasser Arafat, in the Holy Land, the former Russian President, Mr. Boris Yeltsin, wished his friend a bright future to a ``dear Palestinian state.''

``I want to tell my friend that he should believe in Russia and trust Russia,'' Mr. Yeltsin told Mr. Arafat on Thursday as they met at Mr. Arafat's headquarters in Bethlehem, Jesus' birthplace in the Palestinian-controlled West Bank enclave.

Mr. Yeltsin was greeted by an honour guard and a military band as he walked the red carpet alongside Mr. Arafat in the courtyard, overlooking what once was Israel's administration seat in Bethlehem. He also assured Mr. Arafat that his successor, Mr. Vladimir Putin, shared the same ``special feeling'' toward the Palestinians.

Mr. Yeltsin shed tears at one point when he spoke about his friendship with Mr. Arafat, and used paper napkins handed by the Palestinian leader to wipe his eyes. Mr. Yeltsin said later these were tears of joy.

Meanwhile, leaders of the world's 15 Orthodox Churches led Mr. Arafat through a candle-lit midnight Christmas mass in Bethlehem. The gathering at midnight on Thursday night marked an extraordinary bid for unity among the world's sometimes fractious Eastern Orthodox Churches. Due to differences in the calendar, Orthodox Christmas falls on January 6.

- AP

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Chechens resort to guerilla war
Next     : E.U. economy still troubled