Fatah fails to appoint an interior minister

The meeting of the central committee of the Palestinian national liberation movement ( Fatah ) to appoint a Minister Of the Interior has failed and was postponed indefinitely.

Certain sources said that the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat refused to transfer his security authority to a minister of the interior. The intention during the meeting, which was chaired by Arafat, according to Palestinian sources, was inclined to appoint Lt. Gen. Naser Youssef as a minister of the interior so as to be responsible for all security departments including national security.

Meantime, Palestinian diplomatic sources said that Palestinian foreign affairs minister Nabil Shaath will pay a visit India by the end of this month. This visit comes several days from a visit due news month by the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, the first of its kind for an Israeli official at this level to India.

Indian media reports indicated that New Delhi invited Shaath quickly to visit it in an attempt to show a balance between its previous support for the Palestinian issue and its relations which have started to improve with Israel especially in the military field.