U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says he intends to meet with besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, as part of his peace mission to the Middle East. 

Speaking in Cairo after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Mr. Powell said he came to the region with the commitment to do everything possible to end the spiraling violence in the West Bank. 

The secretary praised the beginning of an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian cities, and said he will ask all Arab leaders to call a halt to suicide bombings that triggered the Israeli offensive. 

Mr. Powell also repeated the U.S. view that political discussions can only begin after Israeli-Palestinian violence ends. He said future talks must include plans for the development of a Palestinian state. 

Mr. Powell is expected in Israel late Thursday, after meetings with European ministers in Madrid and talks with Jordan's King Abdullah. He is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Friday. No timetable has been announced for the Arafat meeting. 

Monday in Morocco, King Mohammed and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah asked Mr. Powell to do more to pressure Israel to withdraw its troops from West Bank towns it began occupying nearly two weeks ago. 

The Saudi crown prince said Israeli Prime Minister Sharon is undermining the U.S.-led war against terrorism by carrying out what he described as massacres in the Palestinian areas. 

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