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CNN Live Today

Palestinian Authority to Hold Elections Next Year

Aired June 26, 2002 - 11:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Two days after President Bush's call for new leadership, the Palestinian Authority today announced plans to hold elections next year. But, the man that Washington wants out of office may be on the ballot.

Our senior international correspondent, Sheila MacVicar, is standing by live in Jerusalem. She's got the details for us this morning on this story.

Hello, Sheila.

SHEILA MACVICAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.

Well as you said, just two days after President Bush's much- anticipated speech, a speech where he called for a new Palestinian leadership. Palestinian Authority announcing today that in six months, sometime between January 10 and January 20, 2003, they will be holding presidential elections.

Now this plan for elections has been in the works for some considerable time. It's part of a much bigger basket of reforms that the Palestinian Authority says they intend to carry out in the next few months. But what is interesting, of course, is that it comes at a time when Mr. Arafat's leadership has been so clearly questioned by the Bush Administration.

Now, a short while after that announcement was made by Saeb Erakat, the Palestinians' chief negotiator, we've heard from another Arafat aide, saying that he believed that Mr. Arafat would run. Before we get to the implications of what it would mean if Mr. Arafat does run, and if he does win, here's just a quick look at the kinds of problems the Palestinians will have, the kinds of things they will have to confront if they are going to successfully organize these elections in six months' time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: We want to hold the elections, and we call upon the international community to help us in preparing for the elections. Elections cannot be carried out with tanks in every street, every corner of Palestinian towns and villages. Voters cannot register (ph) while they're confined to their homes and their curfews. So we need to call upon the international community to help us in carrying out this program of elections. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MACVICAR: Now, that announcement made by Mr. Erakat in the city of Jericho today, the only major Palestinian population center on the West Bank that is not currently under Israeli military curfew and occupation -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right. Sheila MacVicar, standing by for us there in Jerusalem. Thanks very much.

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