China tells Arafat to pick "appropriate" time for statehood

BEIJING, Aug 14 (AFP) -

Chinese President Jiang Zemin told visiting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat Monday he hoped he would pick an "appropriate"
time to declare an independent state.

"We believe that the Palestinian National Authority led by Arafat will think it over and declare statehood at an appropriate time
to achieve the best possible results," Jiang said, according to the state Xinhua news agency.

Jiang made the comment at the Beidaihe seaside resort 300 kilometersmiles) east of Beijing, where Chinese leaders are
currently meeting to decide on policies for the upcoming year.

"China and its people will support whatever you decide, as long as it is in accordance with the Palestinian people's interests and
will help the Palestinian people's just cause," Jiang told Arafat, according to state television.

Arafat arrived in Beijing early Monday aiming to "inform the Chinese side of the latest developments in the (Middle East) peace
process", Xinhua reported earlier.

At the start of July, China said it supported Palestinian statehood, reacting to a decision by the Palestine Liberation
Organisation's Central Council to declare an independent state on September 13.

"China supports the Palestinian people's effort to regain their legitimate national rights, including the right to go back to their
homes and establish an independent state," a foreign ministry spokesman said at the time.

China, which established diplomatic relations with Palestinian authorities in 1988, sees the statehood issue as the key hurdle to
overcome before reaching a lasting peace in the Middle East.

During a visit to the Palestinian territories in April, Jiang was urged to send a permanent ambassador to help push the peace
process.

While China was one of the first countries to recognise the Palestinian authority, its ties with Israel have improved in recent
years, and Arafat's China visit comes just two days ahead of a visit by Shimon Peres, Israel's minister of regional cooperation.

China had been on the verge of buying an Israeli Airborne Warning and Control System in a deal valued at 250 million dollars,
until it was cancelled in mid-July by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

The United States had pressured Israel to scrap the deal because it was worried it might upset the military balance between
China and Taiwan.

Arafat is visiting China as part of an Asian tour that began Sunday with a brief stop in Pakistan where he met with military ruler
General Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar, who received Arafat at the airport, said Islamabad backed the Palestinian cause.

Arafat had already traveled to about 20 world capitals in less than three weeks, seeking support for his position after the Camp
David peace summit failed on July 25.

However, he seems to have achieved little in terms of firm backing for his stated intention to declare a Palestinian state on
September 13.

Even in Russia, a traditional ally, Arafat did not win a firm commitment.

Arafat is scheduled to visit India and Japan after his trip to China.