Palestinian prime minister's reform cabinet choices

Palestinian prime minister completes cabinet choices
Copyright © 2003 AP Online
By KARIN LAUB, Associated Press

JERUSALEM (April 13, 2003 10:57 a.m. EDT) - The incoming Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, has put the final touches on a new Cabinet, keeping the crucial position of security chief for himself and appointing several reformers and independents to other key jobs, senior officials said Sunday.

The composition of the 20-member Cabinet seems to suggests that Abbas is as serious about reforms as international Mideast mediators expect him to be. His Cabinet appointments still require the approval of the ruling party, Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, and of the legislature.

The two votes could be held in the coming days. President Bush has said that once the new Cabinet is installed, he will formally unveil an internationally-backed "road map" to Palestinian statehood, a step that would start the clock ticking on the three-year plan.

In his Cabinet list - whose makeup was confirmed by three senior officials speaking on condition of anonymity - Abbas kept the post of interior minister for himself. That means he will have overall control over the security forces which are expected to round up Palestinian militants and try to prevent attacks on Israelis in the first phase of the U.S.-backed peace plan.

Abbas also appointed a former Gaza security chief, Mohammed Dahlan, as minister of state for interior affairs. It was not clear how responsibilities would be divided between Abbas and Dahlan in the area of security. However, both have criticized attacks on Israelis and enjoy the support of the international community. Dahlan has said he is confident he can restore order in the Palestinian areas.

The appointment of Dahlan could prove problematic since the Fatah movement, of which Abbas is a senior member, wants to retain the current interior minister, Hani al-Hassan. The Fatah Central Committee was to meet later this week to vote on the Cabinet list.

Only one minister from the outgoing Cabinet remains in the same post - Salam Fayyad, the finance minister, a former senior International Monetary Fund official who is widely seen as having done a credible job in putting the murky Palestinian money transactions, including some of Arafat's reputed slush funds, in order.

Abbas also created the new posts of external affairs and deputy prime minister.

Abbas' deputy as prime minister will be Nasser Yousef, a former senior security official and a moderate who has met with leading Israelis at his own initiative in the past.

Nabil Shaath, the outgoing planning minister, was given the external affairs portfolio. Shaath has extensive contacts with foreign leaders and for years has acted as the Palestinians' de facto foreign minister. Interim peace agreements had prevented the Palestinians from formally creating a foreign ministry.

Several outspoken reformers were also chosen for Cabinet posts, including Nabil Amr, who resigned from a previous Cabinet because of disagreements with Arafat and will now serve as information minister. Independent legislator Ziad Abu Amr was given the culture portfolio.

Abbas also appointed several professionals: Abdel Karim Abu Salah, a lawyer, was given the justice portfolio, businessman Azzam Shawa was appointed trade and industry minister and physician Kamal Shrafi was given the health ministry.

Two senior officials in the outgoing Cabinet, Local Affairs Minister Saeb Erekat and Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo, were given the lesser posts of ministers of state.