Rival Palestinian factions have agreed to name president Mahmoud Abbas as head of an interim national consensus government that will oversee preparations for presidential and legislative elections.
“An agreement was reached on appointing Mahmoud Abbas as prime minister until elections are held,” a Palestinian official, who is participating in the talks, told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Abbas will lead an interim national consensus government to prepare for upcoming elections, under an agreement officially signed on Monday in the Qatari capital.
The “Doha Declaration” was signed by Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal in the presence of Qatar’s emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani in Doha.
The agreement states that the new Palestinian government will comprise “independent technocrats,” and will also be responsible for overseeing reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
The anonymous Palestinian official said Hamas and Abbas’ secular Fatah movement had agreed that the “national consensus government will be made up of independents and technocrats and they will be responsible for overseeing the elections.”
He did not say when the elections would take place but under the terms of the reconciliation deal parliamentary and presidential elections are both to be held by May.
Implementation of the deal has been delayed on several occasions despite repeated meetings between the two parties but on Sunday they agreed to move speedily ahead with the elections.
“We agreed on the importance of holding the elections quickly ... and removing any obstacles that might delay the polls,” said Fatah spokesman Azzam al-Ahmed, who is accompanying Abbas in Doha.
He said Sunday’s talks, which are being hosted by Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, were “positive” and that both sides reached “agreement on all the major issues" regarding the reconciliation agreement.”
The last Palestinian elections were held in 2006.
No comments:
Post a Comment