RAMALLAH, Oct 12: Ahmed Qorei’s long-term future as Palestinian premier was thrown into doubt after he agreed on Sunday to remain head of an emergency government until the end of the month.

“We have agreed to continue with the emergency government with those ministers who have been sworn in by president (Yasser) Arafat,” foreign minister Nabil Shaath told reporters after a meeting of the mainstream Palestinian movement Fatah’s central committee.

“The emergency government will continue for one month and after that we will have a wider government.”

But Qorei himself later cast doubt over whether he would seek to stay on beyond the end of October, saying there would be a new premier after the emergency government had finished its job.

“The (emergency) government will work for 20-25 days and after that there will be a new government and a new prime minister also,” Qorei said in a brief statement to reporters, without elaborating.

It was not immediately clear whether it meant Qorei would not seek to head up a government which would succeed the emergency government.

German news agency dpa said Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei on Sunday announced his resignation five weeks after his appointment by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

The 66-year-old politician told journalists that he would stand down after his initial 30 days expire following his naming to the post on October 5.—AFP/dpa