The Palestinian president, Yasser Arafat, has proposed that Palestine Liberation Organization second-in-command, Mahmud Abbas, become his first prime minister.
Mr Arafat proposed Mr Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, for the position during a meeting of the PLO's executive committee.
However, Mr Abbas (68), who serves as secretary general of the PLO executive and as Mr Arafat's right-hand man, told the Palestinian leader the nomination should wait for a meeting on the issue expected to open this weekend.
The PLO executive was meeting tonight in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where Mr Arafat has been held a virtual prisoner for more than a year by the Israeli army, to hammer out the arrangements for the upcoming meeting.
The meeting is also due to be attended by members of the PLO central council and the parliamentary Palestinian Legislative Council.
Mr Abbas has been a front-runner to fill the prime minister's job that Mr Arafat pledged to create under international pressure to reform.Mr Arafat has been under intense pressure in recent months to reform his administration, accused by Israel and the United States of widespread corruption and links to militant groups.
Under further pressure from the EU, which maintains better relations with the Palestinian leader, he again pledged to appoint a premier after a meeting in mid-February.
