USA: ARAFAT IN MEETING WITH ALBRIGHT

(2 Dec 1998) English/Nat U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have led the first meeting of a commission set up to build stronger relations between the United States and the Palestinian Authority. Arafat returns home with pledges of more than U-S three (b) billion dollars from 43 nations made at the end of a day-long donors conference. Wrapping-up a three day visit to Washington to raise funds and issues concerning Palestine, Palestinian chairman Yasser Arafat made a final stop on Capitol Hill. Arafat met with powerful Congressional leaders, including Representative Bob Livingston (Republican -Louisiana), who is expected to be the new House speaker. Livingston emerged from his first meeting with the Palestinian leader with a clearer "understanding of the complexity of the issues," according to his spokesman Mark Corallo. During his meeting with House minority leader Dick Gephardt (Democrat - Missouri) Arafat was asked what his Capitol Hill talks were about. SOUNDBITE: (English) "All the problems. (Laughter.) And searching for an accurate solution here." SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, President Palestinian Authority Despite problems, Arafat said he still expected the Wye River deal to be implemented. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic with English translation) "We hope the implementation goes according to the implementation that we agreed to at the Wye River." SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, President Palestinian Authority Arafat also had a private meeting with C-I-A (Central Intelligence Agency) director George Tenet. Tenet played a central though low-profile role in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations that resulted in the Wye agreement last October. The C-I-A is ensuring the implementation of the accord. The meeting of the U-S/Palestinian Joint Commission was part of an effort to strengthen ties between the United States and the Palestinian Authority, said Albright's spokesman James Rubin. The pledges of aid to the Palestinians on the West Bank and in Gaza are designed to alleviate poverty. The assistance is to be used for water projects, road-building, and for industrial zones. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...