Middle East: Adopting a distinctly more cautious line than his predecessor, Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Mr Ahmed Korei said yesterday he was discussing ways to "ending the chaos" with regard to illegal weapons in Palestinian areas once he had formed a government. But he did not say he would move against militant groups as the US-backed road map peace plan requires of the Palestinians, writes Peter Hirschberg in Jerusalem
Mr Korei's predecessor, Mr Mahmoud Abbas, who resigned earlier this month, had called for an end to the "armed intifada." But Mr Korei, who is weary of being perceived as a US-imposed appointment by his people, as Mr Abbas was, said "more consultations" were needed "on ending the chaos in the streets, in the administration and in the Palestinian mentality . . . including the chaos in using, distributing and storing weapons."
Mr Korei made his comments in Ramallah where he met the Palestinian Authority President, Mr Yasser Arafat, following consultations Sunday with militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, in the Gaza Strip. Both groups turned down his offer for them to join his new government, which he hopes to form later this week.
Mr Arafat sent a letter yesterday to leaders of the Quartet group - the US, Russia, the EU and UN - saying he was committed to reaching a ceasefire with Israel. But he said this was conditional on international guarantees to ensure Israel lives up to its obligations in the road map.
There are growing reports, meanwhile, of a possible prisoner exchange between Israel and Hizbullah. The deal said to be taking shape would include the release of Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid and Mr Mustafa Dirani, two guerrilla leaders abducted by Israel in Lebanon in 1989 and 1994 in an effort to win the release of a missing Israeli air force navigator, Mr Ron Arad, who bailed out of his plane over Lebanon in 1986.
In exchange, Hizbullah is to release an Israeli businessman, Mr Elhanan Tenenbaum, as well as three soldiers kidnapped three years ago.