ANKARA (A.A) - 30.03.2002 - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit held a telephone conversation with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at about 03:00 p.m. on Saturday. During the conversation, Ecevit asked Arafat about his condition, proposals and wishes.
Releasing a statement, the Prime Ministry Office said, ''earlier in the day, Prime Minister Ecevit released a statement about clashes between Israel and Palestine. In the statement, Prime Minister Ecevit expressed his sorrow that he could not reach Arafat on the phone. He also warned Israeli administration to withdraw from territories it occupied.''
''At about 03:00 p.m., Prime Minister Ecevit reached President Arafat on the phone. During the conversation, Ecevit asked Arafat about his condition, proposals and wishes. President Arafat thanked Prime Minister Ecevit for his interest. President Arafat said that latest resolution approved by the United Nations Security Council, Mitchell Report and Tenet Plan should be put into practice, a cease-fire should be declared immediately, and that Israel should withdraw from the territories it occupied. Prime Minister Ecevit told him that Turkey would launch necessary initiativies,'' it said.
The statement noted, ''President Arafat told Prime Minister Ecevit that there were not any electricity, water and even food in the place he was staying.''
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ecevit reached Turkish journalists who have been kept under detention in Ramallah since last night.
Turkish Embassy and Consulate General in Israel informed Prime Minister Ecevit that necessary initiatives had been launched for release of Turkish journalists.