"I have decided to appoint a Palestinian prime minister,” Arafat

RAMALLAH, West Bank, February 14 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said Friday, February 14, he officially agreed to appoint a prime minister, in a move which follows intense pressure for reform of his Authority and would force him to share power.

"I have decided to appoint a Palestinian prime minister, and I will ask the Palestinian Legislative Council to take the necessary measures to that effect," he told reporters in Ramallah, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Arafat, whose personal power is allegedly unchecked, made the announcement after a meeting with UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen, his Russian counterpart Andrei Vdovin and an official representing European envoy Miguel-Angel Moratinos.

Officials from the United States, the fourth member of the "quartet" working on a Middle East peace plan, were not present at the meeting.

The veteran leader has been under intense pressure over recent months to reform his administration, accused by Israel and the United States of widespread corruption and links to (Palestinian) resistance groups.

However, top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP, "Arafat did not make concessions to the United States. His decision is consistent with our reform program."

Arafat gave no indication as to when the new prime minister might be appointed, but Palestinian information minister Yasser Abed Rabbo told AFP the parliament would convene on the issue "very soon, in the coming days".

Senior Palestinian officials said Thursday that the Palestinian leader agreed in principle to the creation of a prime ministerial position but said it would be filled when the Palestinian state is formed and the constitution is approved.

On Friday, Arafat did not stipulate such a condition but called on the quartet to press on with its "roadmap" for peace in the Middle East, which calls for the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.

"I urge the quartet to implement the roadmap and to send international observers to overlook its implementation," he said.

The quartet has yet to agree on a final text of the document, with Israel supporting the U.S. draft and the Palestinians backing the EU one, but Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is reportedly lobbying Washington to drop the project altogether.

Roed-Larsen told CNN news network that the timing of the announcement was very important, with the world's attention turning to Iraq, where a U.S. military offensive against Baghdad looks inevitable.

"It is very important that when the focus is on Iraq-related issues, ... Arafat shifted the focus on what is going in this region," said the UN envoy.

"We hope the parliament will approve a prime minister which is empowered and credible with the Israeli partners and the international community," he added.

Mahmud Abbas, a veteran politician who is Arafat's number two in the Palestine Liberation Organization, has often been considered the most likely candidate for the post.

However, the Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot said Washington favors the appointment of Arafat's finance minister Salem Fayad, who has undertaken serious reforms to counter corruption and has secured the transfer of millions of dollars in Palestinian funds frozen by Israel.

Ziad Abu Amr, who head the PLC's political committee, explained that it could take time before a prime minister takes office. A constitution providing for a prime ministerial position is being drafted but it will apply to a Palestinian state which does not yet exist.

"The Palestinian Authority functions on a basic law which does not mention the position of prime minister. Because of that, the PLC's next session will have to hear what prerogatives the PA wants to give to the prime minister and we will then have to add an article to the basic law," he told AFP.

"And this will take time," he said, adding that only then could the Palestinian MPs appoint a prime minister.

The Palestinians argue that they have been hampered in their reforms, including the holding of elections, by the Israeli reoccupation of most of the West Bank in a bid to crush the 28-month-old Palestinian uprising (Intifada) against the Israeli occupation.