France to have bigger influence on Middle East peace process, Russian expert

How will the Middle East situation, in which dangers are lurking on every side, evolve once Yasser Arafat is gone? A Russian expert on the Middle East issue from the Institute of Oriental Studies gave his opinions.

First, there will be surely a period of power vacuum within the Palestine National Authority (PNA). Arafat represents an era of hero, and one can hardly find out a match for him among current Palestinian leaders. Once Arafat is gone, the Middle East peace process will enter a period of delicate adjustment. Fresh starts are impossible until a new leader comes out and is accepted. The present Palestinian leaders are of widely different backgrounds and represent various power groups, therefore the course for them to reach agreement and compromise will be bitter and hard.

Second, the widely recognized formulators and participants of the Middle East roadmap to peace include the United States, Russia, EU, Israel and Palestine. However, when Arafat is absent, as the case now, we suddenly found that France has actually become a new active participant in the process, and this is a point deserves full attention. France will have a louder and louder voice in future Middle East peace plans, and will win respect from Palestinians. This is a factor not to be ignored. The Middle East peace process will see diversified participation in future and power balance in the past will change.

Third, Russia has always been an active participant in the Middle East peace process, whose leaders have maintained long-year friendly ties with Arafat. On top of Arafat, the PNA leader most known to Russian is Prime Minster Mahmoud Abbas. But Russia doesn't know much of other leaders, that highlights the urgency of establishing relations with Palestine's new-generation leaders. This is a sensitive question.

By People's Daily Online