CIS states express condolences on death of Yasser Arafat
ITAR-TASS News Agency
November 11, 2004 Thursday
Y E R E V A N
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan expressed condolences to interim
Palestinian head Ruhi Fatouh on the death of Yasser Arafat. In his
telegram on Thursday Kocharyan said he praised Arafat’s contribution
to the protection of Palestinians’ rights. On behalf of the Armenian
people Kocharyan conveyed his sympathies to the people of Palestine
and relatives of Arafat, the presidential press service told
Itar-Tass.
M I N S K – There are no grounds to say the death of Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat will lead to the aggravation of the situation in
the Middle East and the wrecking of the Road Map for Mideast Peace,
Belarussian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Savinykh said. Speaking
at a news briefing on Thursday, the spokesman said, “Yasser Arafat’s
death is, certainly, a serious loss for the Palestinian movement.” He
stressed, “The Republic of Belarus learnt with grief about the death
of the Palestinian leader who had authority in the Arab world.”
Savinykh pointed out that high-ranking Foreign Ministry officials
will visit the Palestinian Embassy in Minsk to express condolences on
Arafat’s death.
A L M A T Y – Kazakhstan’s Moslems express condolences to the
Palestinian people on the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Deputy mufti of Kazakhstan, Mukhammad-Hussain khadzhi Alsabekov, told
Itar-Tass Kazakh Moslems will pray over him in all mosques. Alsabekov
said, “The Palestinian leader lost the leader of international
standard who dedicated his life to the just cause – the creation of a
sovereign Palestinian state.” The Kazakh mufti wished new Palestinian
leader Mahmoud Abbas to continue Arafat’s cause “with patience, by
peaceful means and with account of ordinary Palestinians’ view.”
M I N S K – Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko expressed
condolences to the Palestinian leadership on the death of Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat. In his telegram to Palestinian interim leader
Ruhi Fatouh, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei and PLO Secretary-General
Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday Lukashenko said, “A wise and outstanding
politician passed. He had a big authority in the whole Arab world.
We’ll remember him forever.”
A S H G A B A T – Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov expressed
condolences to the Palestinian government, the PLO Executive
Committee and the Palestinian administration on the death of Yasser
Arafat. In his telegram on Thursday Niyazov said, “On behalf of the
people and the government of Turkmenistan I convey our sincere
sympathies on the death of the outstanding leader of the Palestinian
people, His Excellence Mr. Yasser Arafat. I want to express my
condolences and convey my sympathies to the family of deceased
Arafat. I pray Allah to give Palestine strength in order to overcome
this serious loss.”