Ahmed Qurei has accepted the post of Palestinian prime minister, Yasser Arafat told the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) executive, officials said Monday.
Arafat "officially asked Abu Ala to present him with the composition of his government," the outgoing governmental affairs minister, Yasser Abed Rabbo, told reporters. The implication was that Qorei had accepted the post, <>AFP reported.
However, Qurei would not yet officially announce his answer to Arafat since he has asked for guarantees of support from Washington and the European Union, the minister said.
Another top Palestinian official said Arafat had "informed the PLO executive that Abu Ala accepted his nomination to the post of prime minister and that he had asked for guarantees."
"The Palestinian leadership will pursue contacts with international parties to assure the success of the future government and prevent its failure," said the official.
A member of the PLO executive, Qais Abdel Karim, also told reporters that Arafat had "announced that Abu Ala has accepted the offer in principle."
