Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei stated on Tuesday that he was ready to withdraw his resignation 10 days after he tendered it to leader Yasser Arafat, an indication that the political crisis within the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) might be over. 

"The president has refused my resignation and I will comply," Qurei told a news conference, adding that "the security issue is crucial and we have to strengthen our security apparatuses' performances."

The premier made the remarks after a three-hour PNA cabinet meeting held in the West Bank town of Ramallah with attendance of the cabinet's members and Arafat.

A Palestinian official who attended the meeting said that Arafat had agreed to hand Qurei more competence over security affairs, aiming to put an end to the current standoff between the two.

"To offer Qurei power over different Palestinian security forces is a historic day for the Palestinian democracy," said the official on condition of anonymity.

He said that the offer "would surely be the beginning of changes and reforms into the Palestinian security and civil institutions."

At the end of the meeting Arafat and Qurei walked out of the former's headquarters, kissing each other on the cheeks, holding hands together and smiling widely, a direct indication of the resolution of the conflicts between the two men.

Qurei resigned on July 17 against the backdrop of a spate of kidnappings, conflicts, and calls for fighting political corruption in the Palestinian territories, especially the Gaza Strip.

But Arafat rejected the resignation and mediators have been trying to persuade the two men to resolve their differences and end the crises that erupted recently within the PNA.

Qurei, however, refused to admit that the recent disputes with Arafat were because of security authorities' conflict, asserting they have authorities that they will jointly oversee in order to contain the ongoing security chaos.

Palestinian security sources, meanwhile, claimed that the "ministerial crises" was finally over and decisions had been adopted regarding separating the authorities as well as implementing modifications and reforms in a number of Palestinian Authority's ministries, particularly the Interior Ministry.

Qurei's chief of staff Hassan Abu Lebda stated earlier that Qurei is completely supported by Arafat, and many ministerial changes are expected to occur in the near future.

"They agreed that the interior minister will have certain tasks and authorities regarding interior security," Abu Lebda said.

"From now on, each official is responsible before the law for his responsibilities and competences," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2004)