Arafat wants Qureia to remain

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Yasser Arafat asked Ahmed Qureia on Tuesday to stay on as prime minister and form a new government, officials said, but their bitter dispute over control of the Palestinian security forces remained unresolved.

Conflicting accounts of Tuesday's meeting of the PLO leadership cast further uncertainty over the situation. While two officials who attended the meeting said Qureia had accepted Arafat's offer, the prime minister said he had not received a formal invitation.

Even if Qureia accepts, the lingering disagreement over the security forces threatened to lead to further confrontation and continued deadlock over a U.S.-backed peace plan that envisions a Palestinian state by 2005.

Meanwhile, Israelis voted in local elections Tuesday, and early results showed that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party took some losses but rebuffed predictions that voters would severely punish Likud candidates because of Israel's troublesome security and economic situation.

The United States and other international mediators have been closely watching Palestinian efforts to form a government, saying a stable leadership is needed to push the "road map" peace plan forward. Israel reacted cautiously to Tuesday's announcement.

Qureia heads an emergency Cabinet; its term will expire Tuesday. There had been some uncertainty over whether Qureia, upset by arguments with Arafat over control of the security forces, would agree to continue in the job.

Palestinian officials gave conflicting accounts about Tuesday's meeting of the PLO leadership, headed by Arafat.

Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and Abbas Zaki, a senior PLO official, said Qureia had accepted Arafat's invitation.

Qureia said he had not received a formal offer, which must come in writing, but indicated he would accept. "If things move in that direction, I think we will continue," he said.

Qureia's previous efforts to form a larger government have failed because of wrangling over appointments. In particular, Qureia had been unable to agree with Arafat over the key post of interior minister, which would control the various Palestinian security agencies.

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