Following a meeting in Vienna with representatives of Likud prime ministerial candidate Ariel Sharon, Palestinian sources said they were told that Sharon's advisor on Arab affairs was secretly visiting the Arabian Gulf, Israel Radio reported Friday morning, cited by Haaretz.
The sources told the radio that they knew of the visit at the Vienna meeting after they requested to know why Magali Wahaba, was not present.
Haaretz said that Palestinian Mohammad Rashid, economic advisor to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, returned to Gaza on Thursday to brief the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on his meeting with Likud prime ministerial candidate's representatives in Vienna.
The Palestinians continue to refuse to discuss the content of the meeting, said the paper, but Palestinian sources were quoted as saying the meeting was a success and the sides agreed to continue the contacts. The source added that PA State Minister Ziyad Abu Zayad also participated in the meeting.
Palestinians have voiced their worries regarding the probable electoral victory of Sharon. Minister of International Cooperation and Planning Nabil Sha’ath was quoted by AFP as saying it would be "bad news" if Sharon became prime minister.
Sharon is blamed by the Palestinians for triggering the violence with a controversial visit to a hotly contested holy site in Jerusalem that is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The hawkish Sharon has said that if he becomes prime minister he would not be bound by any deal signed by Barak, although he has opened a channel of communication with the Palestinians.
Sharon, speaking at a video-conference with the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, said he would negotiate with the Palestinians to reach "something similar to an end of belligerency" if he wins the election.
"Palestinians know me. For me, a yes is a yes, and a no is a no. It was always the basis of our relations," he was quoted by the agency as saying.
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
