The Hindu : Abbas vows to disarm groups

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Wednesday, Apr 30, 2003

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International

Abbas vows to disarm groups

RAMALLAH (West Bank) APRIL 29. The Palestinian Prime Minister-designate pledged today that security services would be the only entities allowed to bear weapons, signalling his intention to disarm militant groups.

"Ending the armed chaos, which carries a direct threat to the security of the citizen, will be one of our fundamental missions," Mahmoud Abbas told the Parliament, which had convened to vote on his nomination.

``There is no place for weapons expect in the hands of the Government,'' said Mr. Abbas, who has opposed militant violence during a 31-month-old Palestinian uprising for independence. ``There is only one authority.''

Turning to corruption, charges of which had dogged the President, Yasser Arafat's rule, Mr. Abbas said: ``The Government will not allow anyone to misuse his position...The Government will not hesitate to bring corrupt people to court based on fair mechanisms.''

Arafat's plea

The Palestinian legislature convened on Tuesday for a vote of confidence in the Cabinet of Mr. Abbas, a key to resuming West Asia peace efforts.

Mr. Arafat urged lawmakers to approve the Cabinet and a legislator said informal polling suggested that approval was likely. A `yes' vote would pave the way for the presentation of the peace plan, the so-called ``road map'' to Palestinian statehood, by the U.S. President, George W. Bush, in the coming days.

``In this very sensitive and dangerous period the whole region is facing, I call your respected Council to give confidence to the new Cabinet that will be presented by my brother,'' Mr. Arafat said, referring to Mr. Abbas.

In violence on Tuesday, three Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes.

In the Gaza Strip, an Israeli helicopter gunship fired four missiles at a car, killing Nidal Salama, a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a small radical PLO faction, and critically wounding a bystander.

In the West Bank, troops shot dead two members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a militia linked to Mr. Arafat's Fatah movement.

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