Nov. 11, 2004
Originally published in the Gulf Daily News .
BRUSSELS: The European Commission yesterday denied that EU aid to the Palestinian Authority could have ended up as part of $900 million (BD340m) said to have been shadily diverted to Yasser Arafat's personal control.
This was because the European Union, the biggest international donor to the Palestinians, did not pay any direct budgetary assistance to the PA during the period in question, 1995-2000, said a commission spokeswoman.
"Do we have anything to do with that package of money? No," said Emma Udwin, spokeswoman for EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten.
She was referring to $900m that the Inter-national Monetary Fund (IMF) said last year had been diverted from the main PA budget to a special bank account controlled by Arafat from 1995 to 2000.
The EU comments came as charges swirl about Arafat's finances as he fights for his life in a French clinic.
Palestinian officials denied this week that Arafat stashed away a personal fortune, while Israel said a struggle for access to the ailing leader's funds explained a spat between his wife and top officials.
A similar report can be found from a Kuwaiti source at: http://www.kuwaittimes.net/today/international_s1.php