Ahern’s fond memories of visit to Arafat home

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern said yesterday he had fond memories of time he spent with Palestinian Authority President Yassar Arafat.

He said this was a time to think about Mr Arafat's family and friends and he said he always had a good relationship with the Palestinian leader.

The Taoiseach was the first world leader to land on the airstrip in Gaza which, he said, Mr Arafat was so proud of when it was built.

He stayed in Mr Arafat's house, where he enjoyed his hospitality and met his family. "We always kept in touch and during his forced occupation in the bunker he continued to phone me over the years and during the Irish presidency of the EU we were in contact again."

He said he hoped that the Palestinian political and paramilitary leadership meeting yesterday could come to an agreement that would ensure a peaceful handover of power.

Mr Ahern added that he hoped also that the US would become engaged in the Middle East as the events there have poisoned the entire region.

He said President Bush would become involved now as he had said he would when they and British Prime Minister Tony Blair lunched in Belfast last year.

"It's really necessary for the US to become involved as the situation here feeds into so many other areas no other aspect is as important as this," he said.