Arafat to name cabinet soon

GAZA - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, under international and internal pressure to reform his Palestinian Authority, is to name his new cabinet within 48 hours with fewer ministries and a new interior minister.

Palestinian cabinet minister Nabil Shaath confirmed to Reuters remarks published in newspapers on Sunday, as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon began a trip to the United States for talks on the Middle East with United States President George W. Bush.

Shaath said the number of ministerial portfolios would be trimmed from 32 and Arafat would name Major General Abdel-Razzek al-Yehiyeh as interior minister. New finance, higher education, industry and trade ministers would also be appointed.

"Arafat told us in the last consultation meeting that he will declare a new cabinet within 24 to 48 hours," Shaath said. "The cabinet will have between 19 to 21 ministries."

Some ministries would be merged into one and others made into independent agencies outside the cabinet, such as those for environmental and Jerusalem affairs, he said.

The Interior Ministry is expected to oversee an expected consolidation of Palestinian security services. Arafat currently holds the portfolio.

US Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet discussed reforms of the Palestinian security forces with Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah last week, in which Arafat proposed amalgamating nine key Palestinian Authority security services into three agencies.

US and Israeli leaders want the Palestinian Authority reformed to help stop suicide attacks in a 20-month-old Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.

Arafat promised last month to call new elections by early next year and pledged a reform of the authority, but gave no date for a cabinet reshuffle.

- REUTERS

Feature: Middle East

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