Abu Mazen Halts Contacts to Form New Cabinet Due to Dispute with Arafat

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 21, 2003

Abu Mazen Halts Contacts to Form New Cabinet Due to Dispute with Arafat

Palestinian incoming Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, better known as Abu Mazen, halted his contacts on Saturday that aimed at forming the new Palestinian cabinet, well-informed sources told Xinhua.

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Palestinian incoming Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, better known as Abu Mazen, halted his contacts on Saturday that aimed at forming the new Palestinian cabinet, well-informed sources told Xinhua.

The sources, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, said that Abu Mazen made the decision following sharp disputes with both Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and other Palestinian Central Council (PCC) members over the formation of the cabinet.

The PCC of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) convened Saturday in the West Bank town of Ramallah and the meeting was chaired by Arafat and attended by Abu Mazen.

The sources said that during the meeting, Arafat had raised several issues related to forming the new cabinet, adding that members began to argue with Abu Mazen, who suddenly stormed out of the meeting and went back home.

Several members of the PCC followed him in an attempt to convince him to get back to the meeting, said the sources, adding that Abu Mazen refused to go back to Arafat's headquarters and preferred to stay at home.

The sources said that Abu Mazen informed the PCC members that hedoesn't want to continue with forming the new Palestinian National Authority (PNA) cabinet, adding that he threatened to resign.

Palestinian parliamentary sources denied reports saying that Abu Mazen resigned from his post as an incoming prime minister, and preferred to stay as the secretary general of the PLO executive committee.

The sources said that one of the major points of disputes between Arafat and Abu Mazen is that Arafat did not give Abu Mazen enough space to form the new cabinet, this widened the gaps betweenthe two men.

They said that Arafat brought back 13 former ministers out of 18ministers that Abu Mazen had brought to his cabinet, the thing which made Abu Mazen angry, and stormed out of the meeting.

The parliamentary sources said that Abu Mazen does not have the right to resign without going through the legislative measures and the Palestinian Basic Law through the Palestinian Legislative Council.

The sources added that Arafat would appoint another new prime minister.

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