The Associated Press
U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni (left) meets Tuesday with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in his West Bank office in Ramallah Tuesday.

Cheney weighs return to Mideast

JAMES GERSTENZANG LOS ANGELES TIMES

JERUSALEM -- Vice President Dick Cheney offered Tuesday to return to the Middle East as early as next week to meet with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, but only if the Palestinians implement a long-delayed security plan.

Also, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he will let the Palestinian leader travel abroad from his base in Ramallah, to which Israeli troops have confined him for three months.

But Sharon conditioned Arafat's travel on the security plan as well. The prime minister said he will pay close attention to how Arafat conducts himself at an Arab League summit in Beirut next week to make sure that the Palestinian leader doesn't engage in what Sharon called "incitement." Sharon left open the possibility that Israel will refuse to let Arafat return if it deems his behavior unacceptable.

Nabil abu Rudaineh, a top aide to Arafat, called Sharon's comments "incitement," saying they "do not help further American peace efforts."

But he welcomed Cheney's offer to meet soon with Arafat. Palestinian officials had described the vice president's earlier refusal to meet Arafat as a slap in the face to their leader.

After three meetings in fewer than 18 hours, Cheney and Sharon presented a nearly unified front at a joint appearance Tuesday, laying down markers for Arafat.

The first step is the simultaneous declaration of a cease-fire by Sharon and Arafat, followed by rapid implementation of the security plan proposed by CIA Director George Tenet. Political negotiations would follow under a process conceived by an international committee headed by former Sen. George Mitchell.

Both sides said a cease-fire could be declared as soon as today.

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