British government pays tribute to Palestinian leader

The British government has paid tribute to the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and offered its condolences to the Palestinian people.

Speaking this morning, Prime Minister Tony Blair said that Mr Arafat, who "came to symbolise the Palestinian national movement", would be chiefly remembered for his "historic acceptance" of the two-state solution.

He added: "That goal - of a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel - is one that we must continue to work tirelessly to achieve. Peace in the Middle East must be the international community's highest priority. We will do whatever we can, working with the US and the EU, to help the parties reach a fair and durable settlement."

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw also offered his "deep sympathy and condolences" to the Palestinian people.

"President Arafat played such a dominant role on behalf of the Palestinians over so many decades that it is hard to imagine the Middle East without him," he said.

"As the leader of his people, he created an international awareness of, and concern about, the plight of the Palestinian people. He displayed unquestionable devotion to his work.

"President Arafat led the Palestinian national movement through the 1980s and 1990s to an acceptance of Israel, a two-state solution, and negotiation as the means to achieve that goal. He died knowing that the international community had committed itself to a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure state of Israel. As the Prime Minister has made clear, the United Kingdom will continue to do all it can to strive for that outcome."

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan paid tribute to Yasser Arafat, chiefly for his acceptance of the principle of peaceful coexistence between Israel and a future Palestinian state back in 1988.

"By signing the Oslo accords in 1993 he took a giant step towards the realisation of this vision. It is tragic that he did not live to see it fulfilled," a spokesman for Mr Annan said.

"Now that he has gone, both Israelis and Palestinians, and the friends of both peoples throughout the world, must make even greater efforts to bring about the peaceful realisation of the Palestinian right of self-determination."

At a press briefing, White House spokesperson Scott McClellan said that, in the wake of the death of Mr Arafat, President Bush would remain "firmly committed to the two-state vision".

(gmcg/sp)