Middle East negotiator Sten Andersson dies

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Swedish officials say former Swedish Foreign Minister Sten Andersson has died of apparent heart failure at the age of 83.

Andersson was hailed for his role in Middle East peace negotiations and is credited with persuading Yasser Arafat to renounce terror. The statement ended the 13-year U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Los Angeles Times reported.

News reports said Andersson died Sept. 16.

In a historic 1988 news conference, Arafat said, "I repeat for the record that we totally and absolutely renounce all forms of terrorism."

Former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz told the Times recently that Andersson, "created language for Arafat that helped satisfy our demands."

Schultz said Andersson "worked at it and got Arafat to say the magic words," Shultz said.

Andersson was born in 1923 in Stockholm. He served in Parliament for three decades before being named foreign minister in 1985. He held that post until 1991.