Government Sent Mission of Condolence for Arafat`s Death

Professor of diplomacy at Seoul National University

On the statement of condolence issued on November 11, Lee Gyu-hyung, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said, “The government wishes for the people of Palestine to recover from the shock of losing a great leader soon, and hopes that the peace in Middle East, which President Yasser Arafat had pursued, will soon bear fruit.”

The government has sent a telegram of condolence in name of Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan to Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, and a telegram of condolence in name of Ban Ki-moon, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to Palestine National Authority`s Foreign Affair Minister Nabil Sha`ath.

On the evening of November 11, an official mission of condolence, led by Professor of Diplomacy at Seoul National University Yoon Young-gwan, the former minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, left the country for Egypt, where the funeral of President Yasser Arafat will be held.

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com