[LETTERS TO THE EDITOR]Kind condolences

I would like to compliment you on your article “Arafat’s Death” which was published on Nov. 11, 2004. I agree with you that the international community needs to intensify its efforts to establish peace in the Middle East.
I also think that these efforts have to concentrate on ending foreign occupation and fighting terrorism, which threatens the lives of innocent civilians whether they are Jews, Christians or Muslims. In this respect, I would also like to praise the Korean government on its reaction to the death of President Arafat. By delegating the former Foreign Minister Mr. Yoon Young Kwan to attend the funeral that was held in Cairo, the government of the Republic of Korea has expressed its sympathy towards the Palestinians for losing their leader.
Furthermore, the statement issued by the Korean Foreign Ministry and the condolence letters that were sent by Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan and the Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to Mr. Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, and Mr. Nabil Shaath, the Palestinian foreign minister, reflects the Korean government’s eagerness to work towards establishing a permanent peace in the Middle East and thus ending the suffering of the Palestinian people.

by Amr Helmy