Abbas backs early elections

Published July 18th, 2007 - 12:12 GMT

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday stated he will support an expected decision by a top PLO decision-making body to call early elections.

 

Abbas made the announcement ahead of a gathering of the Palestine Liberation Organization's powerful Central Council. The council was set to call for early elections as a way toward ending the power struggle between Abbas' Fatah movement and Hamas.

 

"This issue will be discussed in the council and when there is a decision for early elections, it is my responsibility to issue the decree for that. We will issue these decrees in the near future," Abbas said, according to the AP.

 

A close aide to Abbas said the decrees could be issued later this week.