Canadian Foreign Minister, Bill Graham said Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat assured him he was trying to stop suicide bombers attacking Israel.
"He assured me that he has been taking steps recently to stop the potential suicide bombing attacks in Israel and we welcome very much that effort," Graham told reporters after the meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday.
Graham, who arrived after a visit to Egypt, said the G8 group of leading industrial nations "believe strongly that only the end of suicide bombings and ending the violence will enable the establishment of Palestinian democratic institutions."
The Canadaian minister Saturday called for Arafat to make his administration more democratic to strengthen its hand in negotiations with Israel. Speaking after talks with Egyptian leaders, Graham said he agreed with his Egyptian counterpart, Ahmed Maher, who said Israel did not have the right to dictate reform to the Palestinian Authority.
Graham, who described his talks with Arafat as "excellent," also said he was reassured about reforms to the Palestinian Authority promised by Arafat, and which Israel has set as a pre-condition for any future negotiations.
"We believe strongly that the measures that will be taken ... will establish more open, democratic institutions," he said.
Canadian officials said Graham would meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Monday to tell him that there is no military solution to the 20-month crisis.
Arafat said he wished him to tell Sharon to "finish quickly the siege of all our cities and towns in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to have the ability to start the preparations for elections in our land, at the local, legislative and presidential levels". (Albawaba.com)
