Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has asked senior Palestinian Liberation Organization official Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to be the PA prime minister, the PA parliament speaker said Thursday.
But Abu Mazen said he was still waiting to hear if he would be granted significant powers as prime minister before deciding whether to accept the post.
"The position is not as important as the powers of the prime minister...I will respond positively or negatively after I know what powers the prime minister will have," Abbas told Reuters.
Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala) said that Arafat "has nominated brother Abu Mazen to take the post of prime minister."
He said the Palestinian Central Committee and the Palestinian Legislative Council will take the necessary steps to approve the nomination during a series of deliberations to be held starting Sunday. (Albawaba.com)
