The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, arrived in Tunis yesterday for a three-day “working and friendly” visit at the invitation of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The visiting leader was scheduled to hold talks with President Ben Ali Monday on the situation in the Gaza Strip and ways to revive the peace process in Palestine. Talks between Ben Ali and Abbas will also focus on the preparations for the international Middle-East conference scheduled this summer at the instance of Russia. Abbas is also expected to meet with members of the diplomatic corps in Tunis. At the end of his visit, the Palestinian leader, who had earlier met with the Russian leaders in Moscow, will travel to Washington DC for talks with US President George W. Bush.
