Powell seeks meeting with Arafat

Powell and Arafat have already met once

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of State Colin Powell is attempting to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in an effort to curb Mideast violence, a State Department official told CNN.

The meeting would likely come later this month during Powell's travel to Africa and Hungary, the official said.

"We're looking at schedules, trying to find a time and place," the official said.

Hassan Abdel Rahman, the Palestinian representative in Washington, said in an interview on Palestine Radio that the Powell-Arafat meeting would take place within the next 10 days in Europe.

Powell met on Tuesday with top Palestinian official Abu Mazen for more than an hour, where they discussed the possibility of a meeting.

This would be the second meeting between Powell and Arafat. The first took place in February, when Powell was in the region.

The talks could center around the feasibility of recommendations offered in a draft of the Mitchell Commission report -- a document examining the last seven months of violence in the region.

AUDIO CNN's Jerrold Kessel: Israeli army is on the offensive 472K/43 sec. AIFF or WAV sound    VIDEO Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres spoke with CNN after Arafat's speech (May 15) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Watch Arafat's speech on the 'day of catastrophe' (part 1) (May 15) Play video (Part 1) Play video (Part 2) Play video (Part 3) (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    GALLERY Palestinians mark Al-Naqba    ALSO Israel attacks Gaza police station Palestinian teen killed Israel says killings were mistaken

The report -- the work of an independent team led by former Senator and Northern Ireland envoy George Mitchell -- was commissioned last year at the Sharm el Sheik summit on ending the violence.

During testimony before a Senate Appropriation Subcommittee Tuesday, Powell said the U.S. should "pursue the opportunities that are provided by the Mitchell report and the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative," referring to a cease-fire proposal submitted by Egypt and Jordan last month.

The State Department said Tuesday it was "deeply concerned of the circumstances" surrounding the killing on Monday of five Palestinian policemen manning a roadside checkpoint in the West Bank by Israeli forces. An spokesman for the Israeli army called the attack an "offensive operation."

The United States has been hosting security talks between the two sides in the region aimed at encouraging cooperation on ending the violence, although a meeting has not taken place for over a week.

One State Department official said there is "not a lot being done" by the two sides on security co-operation at the moment.

Powell's meeting with Arafat would come amid pressure by Congress to reassess the U.S. relationship with the Palestinians over their suspected role in attacks against Israel.

At the hearing Tuesday, Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., said it was time to "close the daylight" between the U.S. and Israeli position toward the Palestinians.

Senator Mitch McConnell asked whether the U.S. should consider stopping aid to the Palestinians, although Powell said it was in the U.S. interest to continue the assistance.