France's foreign minister stated Tuesday that his country has no plans to publish Yasser Arafat's medical records and will leave the decision about what to do with them up to his family.
Michel Barnier's remarks came after Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei told The Associated Press he had formally asked that France publish Arafat's medical records.
Arafat died last week at the age of 75 in a French military hospital but neither Palestinian officials nor French doctors have announced the cause of death.
"The medical file of Yasser Arafat will be transmitted, conforming to the law and to rules, to members of the immediate family who ask for it," Barnier told Europe-1 radio.
Asked if France would suggest to Arafat's wife, Suha, that she make the medical report public, Barnier replied: "The family of Yasser Arafat has the right to do as it wishes."
Since Arafat's death, some press reports in the Arab world have suggested that Israel had poisoned the Palestinian president. (Albawaba.com)
