Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom says he will not meet with Abu Mazen, the man who has not yet agreed to serve as the PA's Prime Minister. Shalom said that Abu Mazen's appointment to the post will not help stop terrorism, nor will it lead to any progress on the diplomatic front, because "the way it looks now, Yasser Arafat is retaining for himself the foreign and defense authorities" and refusing to pass them on to his fellow Fatah-founder.
Middle East Newsline (MENL) reports that the members of a "reform camp" in the PA legislature have been unable to sway the Arafat camp and empower Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) with wide authority in defense, foreign policy, and other fields. The legislature granted him the power to name and supervise Cabinet ministers, but Arafat can fire him and continues to be supreme commander over PA armed forces. For this reason, though the Palestinian Legislative Council approved Abu Mazen's appointment by an overwhelming and unsurprising majority of 64 to 3, he has not yet accepted the post because of the limited responsibilities it grants him.
Several legislators said the PA legislature's wavering would result in a power struggle between Arafat and Abu Mazen. MENL reports that Abbas is said to be seeking to replace the current interior minister, Hani Al-Hassan, who was appointed by Arafat. Abbas also intends to return former PA security chief Mohammed Dahlan to his post.
Middle East Newsline (MENL) reports that the members of a "reform camp" in the PA legislature have been unable to sway the Arafat camp and empower Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) with wide authority in defense, foreign policy, and other fields. The legislature granted him the power to name and supervise Cabinet ministers, but Arafat can fire him and continues to be supreme commander over PA armed forces. For this reason, though the Palestinian Legislative Council approved Abu Mazen's appointment by an overwhelming and unsurprising majority of 64 to 3, he has not yet accepted the post because of the limited responsibilities it grants him.
Several legislators said the PA legislature's wavering would result in a power struggle between Arafat and Abu Mazen. MENL reports that Abbas is said to be seeking to replace the current interior minister, Hani Al-Hassan, who was appointed by Arafat. Abbas also intends to return former PA security chief Mohammed Dahlan to his post.