March 1, 2003	Saturday	Zul Hijjah 27, 1423

RAMALLAH, Feb 28: Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is to appoint a prime minister on March 8, UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen told reporters on Friday as he was leaving a meeting with Arafat in Ramallah.

“Arafat informed me there will be a meeting of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) central council later next week and immediately thereafter, next Saturday, a meeting of the PLC (Palestinian Legislative Council or parliament), during which he will announce the name of the prime minister,” he said.

A Palestinian official said later the PLC meeting would take place on March 11 and was aimed at amending the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) basic law, or de facto constitution, so as to introduce a new article providing for a prime minister.

The official said Mr Arafat would announce the prime minister’s identity “probably that same day”.

He said the PLO’s central council would also meet on March 10 to review the recently-drafted Palestinian constitution, which will replace the basic law once a Palestinian state is created.

Arafat, whose personal power is virtually unchecked, announced last Friday that he had officially agreed to appoint a prime minister.

The veteran leader has been under intense pressure over recent months to reform his administration.—AFP