Abbas to hold talks in Cairo on delaying PA elections

[barb162]

Dec. 20, 2005 21:06
Abbas to hold talks in Cairo on delaying PA elections
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH


Facing immense pressure to postpone next month's parliamentary elections, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Cairo soon for talks with President Hosni Mubarak on the possibility of delaying the vote, PA officials in Ramallah said on Tuesday.

According to the officials, Egypt supports postponing the elections for fear that Hamas would score a landslide victory. "The Egyptians believe that it is not in the Palestinians' interest to hold the elections under the current circumstances," said one official, referring to US and EU threats to cut off financial aid to the Palestinians if Hamas is permitted to participate in the elections.

Egyptian Intelligence Chief Gen. Omar Suleiman was scheduled to visit Ramallah on Wednesday in a bid to persuade Abbas to delay the elections in the wake of the American and European threats.

Abbas is also under tremendous pressure from many members of Fatah to call off the elections because of the continued power struggle in the ruling party. Fatah is planning to contest the vote in two separate lists - one formed by Abbas and the old guard Fatah leadership and a second that is headed by jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti.

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http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1134309617680&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Behind the Aegis]

1. What a mess.

Things are a huge disaster there. The only thing that could possibly make it worse...Diebold!