/ 15 March 1999

Mandela to meet Arafat

President Nelson Mandela will meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for talks in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, on Monday, presidential aide Parks Mankahlana said. Both leaders are touring northern Europe, with Arafat consulting heads of state on his plan to declare a Palestinian state on May 4. Mankahlana confirmed that Arafat will meet Mandela at 12.15pm on Monday to brief him on “the situation in his country”.