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Journalism of Courage
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said on Friday he would appoint a prime minister at the urging of peace brokers who have demanded democratic reforms in his administration.
US, European, Russian and UN peacemakers have forced Arafat to reform his Palestinian Authority as part of a peace 8216;8216;roadmap8217;8217; to end Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Arafat, who has resisted pressure to loosen his grip on power against the backdrop of a Palestinian uprising for statehood, did not disclose whom he would name to the post or when the appointment would be made.
Western diplomats said the quartet of peacebrokers had urged Arafat to provide them with a timetable by Sunday for naming a PM and want the appointment to be made before the start of a possible US war on Iraq.
8216;8216;In light of contact that we conducted with members of the quartet8230;I decided to appoint a PM,8217;8217; Arafat said after meeting representatives of the peace group.
The diplomats said Arafat had been urged to give the post to his reform-minded Finance Minister Salam Fayyad.
Arafat said he would convene the Palestinian Legislature and Central Council 8216;8216;to get their consent to take the necessary steps8217;8217; to name a PM, but he did not say when.
Arafat had resisted appointing a PM, fearing the move would weaken his power base. It was unclear how much authority Arafat would be willing to share with a PM. Western diplomats said the Palestinian leader recently came under intense international pressure to appoint a credible PM, to take charge of the daily running of the Palestinian Authority, in order to survive politically.
The quartet8217;s proposal calls for Arafat to issue a presidential decree designating the powers he would yield to a PM. Reuters
