Arab News Staff Writer

RIYADH, 26 March 2004 — The Greek ambassador in Riyadh on Wednesday asked his Palestinian counterpart to cross out the embassy’s name from the book of condolences for assassinated Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, prompting the Arab diplomatic corps to boycott Greek National Day celebrations in the capital.

Ambassador George Papadopoulos told the AFP news agency he had withdrawn Greece’s condolences in compliance with European Union policy and that the incident would not strain Greece’s “friendly” ties with the Palestinians.

“Although we deplore the killing (of Yassin in an Israeli helicopter strike in Gaza City Monday), instructions from the European Union are to not sign books of condolences for people who do not hold public office,” he said.

But other EU diplomats told Arab News they had never heard of such a regulation, adding they always took instructions from their own governments in such matters.

A Greek diplomat signed the book of condolences in the Palestinian Embassy in Riyadh on Tuesday, but “this was a mistake on our part, and we had to correct it,” Papadopoulos said.

He said he had gone to the Palestinian mission on Wednesday to ask Ambassador Mustafa Al-Sheikh Dheeb to cross out the Greek Embassy’s name, which he did.

“I assume it is a policy that applies to anyone who does not hold public office,” not just to the founder of the Palestinian group, he said. “Greece’s position as regards the Palestinians is well known — it is friendly and will always remain so. We shouldn’t blow the matter out of proportion,” Papadopoulos said.

Greece’s government aligned itself with an EU statement issued Monday which strongly condemned Yassin’s assassination.

Arab diplomats did attend Greek National Day celebrations at the Greek Cultural Center in Jeddah.