(21 May 2002)

Ramallah
1. Exterior of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's office
2. EU Middle East envoy Miguel Moratinos arriving
3. Various of Arafat and Moratinos photo op
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Miguel Moratinos, EU Middle East envoy
"The problem has been totally solved and now they are on the way to go to different European countries. We are very satisfied that the Europeans can contribute to facilitate the humanitarian problem and Palestinian citizens would be treated in accordance with what has been approved by the 15 state members in the joint action under the Schengen treaty.They will be assisted by the Red Cross to facilitate the work, training, habitat and accommodation, and we hope they will come back to the place as soon as possible."
5. Cutaway media
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Nabil Abu Rdeineh, Arafat's senior advisor
(commenting on Arafat's meeting with EU, UN, US and Russia representatives tomorrow to discuss the reforms within the Palestinian Authority)
"We are looking forward to work together concerning the Israeli withdrawal from the areas which they have occupied lately including the support for the Palestinian authority to rebuild what have been damaged and destroyed by the Israelis lately. We are going to talk about the issue of elections and the reforms which we are working hard in order to achieve them as well."
7. Moratinos leaving

Nablus
8. Various of Arafat challenger Abed Al-Star Qasem in his home
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Abed Al-Star Qasem, Arafat's challenger
"I am not nominating myself against Arafat, and I am not sure wether he would be nominating himself or not, that should be clear. I am nominating myself so as to represent the Palestinians. I am not nominating myself against anybody."
10. Al-Star Qasem leaving

STORYLINE:

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met with European Middle East envoy Miguel Moratinos on Tuesday in Ramallah in order to discuss the handing of passports for the 13 Palestinian militants expelled under a deal that ended Israel's siege at the Church of Nativity.

12 of 13 Palestinian militants are expected to fly Wednesday aboard a Spanish military plane to six EU nations that have agreed to offer them temporary asylum.

Cyprus, a tiny island state expected to join the European Union by January 2004, had reluctantly offered the militants, accused by Israel as being terrorists, temporary asylum. The end of their Cypriot sojourn caps days of intense negotiations within the 15-nation European group about their fate.

European Union governments gave their final approval Tuesday to a deal to distribute the militants among six EU nations. Under the agreement, Spain and Italy will each take three, Greece and Ireland will each take two, and Portugal and Belgium will each accept one.

Meanwhile, the debate on the elections reform continued within the Palestinian authority. Senior advisor to Yasser Arafat Nabil Abu Rdeineh said that representatives of the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia will meet Arafat to discuss these reforms.

And Yasser Arafat already has a challenger in these possible elections: Abed Al-Star Qasem suggested he will nominate himself for the leadership of the Palestinian authority. "I am nominating myself so as to represent the Palestinans. I am not nominating myself against anybody," Al-Star Qasem said.

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