PARIS, 19 November 2004 — Family members of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat are preparing a request to obtain medical files detailing his illness and cause of death, which France will grant, the French Defense Ministry announced yesterday.
A nephew of Arafat is set to travel to France to formally request his uncle’s medical files, Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said yesterday.
Nasser Al-Qidwa, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, will ask for a copy of Arafat’s medical records “in his capacity as a relative,” Shaath told reporters.
“We respect French law that stipulates that medical information is only available to next of kin,” he added.
He said that Arafat’s widow Suha would also ask for a copy of his files.
