Palestinain leader Mr Yasser Arafat's condition was tonight described as stable as three senior Palestinian leaders arrived in France to visit the ailing Palestinian leader in hospital despite objections from Mr Arafat's wife.
A Reuters correspondent saw the delegation's plane land at Paris' Le Bourget airport. Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie, Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and PLO Secretary General Mahmoud Abbas plan to see Arafat in hospital and to meet French leaders.
Earlier the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr Ahmed Korei, acting Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) leader Mr Mahmud Abbas and foreign minister Mr Nabil Shaath had scrapped their planned visit earlier in the day after Mr Arafat's wife accused the three of wanting to bury her husband alive.
But a Palestinian minister said after the weekly cabinet meeting that the trio had decided they would go after all to Paris.
In an interview with Al-Jazeera television, Mrs Suha Arafat said that Mr Abbas, Mr Korei and Mr Shaath, "who are trying to inherit his [Arafat's] power, want to bury Arafat alive".
But Palestinian deputy Hanan Ashrawi countered: "This is their right to go to Paris - to dispel the rumours. It is unfortunate that (Suha Arafat) made this statements. These comments are provocative and divisive."
The head of Mr Arafat's office confirmed that the delegation would leave Ramallah at midday for the Jordanian capital Amman, continuing on to Paris later in the day.
He said Palestinian parliament speaker Rawhi Fattuh will also
travel, and that the delegation would meet French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier
tomorrow.
AFP