BEIJING (Islamweb & News Agencies) - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat arrived in China from Pakistan on Thursday on the final stage of a whirlwind tour across Asia seeking support for his people's Resistance to Israeli occupation. Before leaving Pakistan, he said he was ready to meet Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to discuss ways to end 11 months of active Resistance to Israeli occupation, but details still had to be finalized. (Read photo caption below)
In remarks to China's official Xinhua news agency, Arafat said he was ready to meet any official who could end the conflict. But Xinhua quoted him as adding: ``In Israel, it is Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, not Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, who makes decisions.''
Arafat, who was earlier in India to drum up support for the Palestinians, said he was awaiting a response from German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer who has been trying to organize the meeting.
In talks with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Arafat asked India to help push for a resumption of talks to end Israeli occupation of Arab territories.
In Pakistan, Arafat said he briefed Pakistan's military ruler Pervez Musharraf on the outcome of Tuesday's Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo.
Unlike India and China, which both have military links with Israel, Pakistan has no relations with the Jewish state.
Fischer visited the West Bank this week on a mission to end the on-going intifadha confrontations.
ARAFAT WANTS CHINA INVOLVED
Arafat was expected to urge China -- one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and the final stop on Arafat's brief Asian tour -- to play a more active role to help end Israel's on going occupation of Palestinian territory.
China reiterated a call for ``utmost restraint on the part of both Israel and Palestine, and especially Israel,'' the China Daily quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao as saying.
Beijing has been largely even-handed between its old Arab allies and Israel, a key arms supplier. But it has recently condemned Israel's use of force and backed a Palestinian proposal to send international observers to the region, which Israel opposes.
Analysts say China wants to be seen taking an active role in the area by keeping in step with world opinion. But some have linked Beijing's recent criticism to Israel's cancellation of the sale to China of a 250 million Phalcon early-warning radar system last year after U.S. pressure.
India, where Arafat spent the morning, was an early supporter of the Palestinian cause but has been nurturing closer political and economic ties with Israel.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar (R) greets Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at an air force base in Islamabad, August 23, 2001. Arafat said he remained ready to meet Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to discuss ways to end 11 months of Resistance to Israeli occupation, but details still had to be finalized. (Aziz Haidari/Reuters)