Abbas says rift with Arafat repaired, declares his loyalty

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From combined dispatches

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas yesterday declared an end to the rift with Yasser Arafat that has threatened U.S.-led peace efforts.

Mr. Abbas pledged his loyalty to Mr. Arafat as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, visiting London, was being rebuffed by Britain in his efforts to further isolate Mr. Arafat.

"The disputes are over and things are all right," Mr. Abbas told reporters after meeting Mr. Arafat at his devastated headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The two leaders met to mend fences. Mr. Abbas threatened to quit as prime minister last week and resigned from a top policy-making committee headed by Mr. Arafat after some of his colleagues said he was being too soft in peacemaking with Israel.

As the rift widened with Mr. Arafat last week, some Palestinian officials said Mr. Arafat wanted to weaken Mr. Abbas. Western diplomats feared Mr. Arafat was trying to undermine a U.S.-backed "road map" intended to end more than 33 months of violence.

Mr. Arafat made no public comments after the talks in Ramallah. But Saeb Erekat, the former chief Palestinian negotiator during talks with Israel and a longtime Arafat ally, said all problems had been resolved.

"We were able to solve all problems, and President Arafat gave his full support to Abu Mazen," he said, using Mr. Abbas' nom de guerre. "Abu Mazen gave full support to President Arafat."

The main Palestinian militant groups have declared a three-month truce, halting a suicide-bombing campaign in the 33-month-old uprising for a Palestinian state and raising hopes the road map will succeed.