Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qurei were discussing the final makeup of a new cabinet in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Palestinian official sources said Wednesday.

Qurei has been reportedly considering forming a minor emergency cabinet, which consists of 12 ministers instead of 24, as five non-Fatah candidates refused to receive unimportant portfolios.

The sources said the idea had been accepted by Arafat.

Meanwhile, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said minimizing the new cabinet was probable but not certain.

The Arafat-Qurei meeting was aimed at studying the final form of the cabinet and make urgent changes in view of recent developments, Erekat said.
 
(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2003)