MOSCOW. Nov 11 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered his condolences on the death of Palestinian National Authority President and Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization Executive Committee Yasser Arafat, the Kremlin press service told Interfax.
In a message to PLO Executive Committee Secretary Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian parliamentary speaker and acting president Rauhi Fattouh, and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, Putin said, "I was deeply saddened to learn about the death of Palestinian National Authority President and Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization Executive Committee Yasser Arafat. This is a heavy loss for the Palestinian leadership and all Palestinians."
"An authoritative political figure of an international scale has passed away, having devoted all his life to the Palestinian people's just cause and the struggle for their legitimate right to set up an independent state coexisting with Israel in peace within safe and recognized borders. Russia greatly values the contribution that the Palestinian National Authority leader has made to strengthening friendly Russian-Palestinian relations," Putin said in the message.
He expressed his sincere condolences to Arafat's family and the entire Palestinian people.