Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), designated as the Prime Minister
of the Palestinian Authority, said on Tuesday in the final
hours before his new government was up for a vote of approval
in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) where it must
receive a majority of the 85 member Council that official
security services would be the only entities allowed to bear
weapons, signaling his intention to disarm militant
groups.
"Ending the armed chaos, which carries a direct threat to the
security of the citizen, will be one of our fundamental
missions," Abu Mazen told the PLC in Ramallah.
"There is no place for weapons expect in the hands of the
government," said Abu Mazen. "There is only one
authority."
About corruption, reported to be widespread in the
Palestinian Authority (PA) up until now, Abu Mazen said: "The
government will not allow anyone to misuse his position . . .
The government will not hesitate to bring corrupt people to
court based on fair mechanisms."
If Abu Mazen's government is approved, U.S. President George
W. Bush has said the so-called "road map" peace plan
developed by the United States, Britain, Russia and the
United Nations, which envisions an immediate end to 31 months
of violence and eventual Palestinian statehood, will be
formally presented.
Abu Mazen said that his government would be committed to the
road map. The new PA government would be committed to
fulfilling all diplomatic and security aspects of the road
map if Israel fulfills its obligations, he added.
The prime minister-designate was seated next to Yasser Arafat
in the parliamentary chamber after walking into the Ramallah
hall together in a show of unity.
Earlier, Yasser Arafat asked the PLC to endorse Abu Mazen and
his new cabinet. Fatah and its supporters control 62 seats in
the PLC. The legislature, elected in 1996, initially had 88
members, but two have died and one has resigned. Legislators
Marwan Barghouti and Husam Khader are in Israeli prisons.
Abbas needs an absolute majority of 43.
The proposed government, the product of intense international
and internal pressure on Arafat to yield powers and institute
democratic reforms, includes Arafat allies as well as
critics.
On Monday night, Arafat called specifically on Fatah members
in the PLC to support the new cabinet. Senior Palestinian
legislator Saeb Erekat said that the Abu Mazen government
will receive the full support of the PLC. He also noted the
new leadership will likely be approved by a wide majority.
Abu Mazen has already received an invitation to go to the US.
However he announced on Monday that he would not go until
Arafat is also permitted to travel. Foreign Minister Silvan
Shalom said that Arafat is the one who doesn't want to leave
his Ramallah headquarters, because his presence there
protects 200 wanted Palestinians who are hiding with him.
