Powell to PA: Performance counts
By JANINE ZACHARIA
The US is looking for "immediate steps against
terrorist organizations," Secretary of State Colin
Powell told Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed
Qurei on Thursday.
Powell telephoned Qurei to congratulate him on the
formation of his new government, the State Department
said, adding that the cabinet will be judged on its
actions.
"He told the prime minister that we are looking forward
to working with him and his cabinet. He also made the
point that performance is what counts and that the
Palestinian cabinet needs to declare its firm
opposition to terror and to take tangible, immediate
steps against terrorist organizations, and that that's
what we would be looking for," State Department
spokesman Adam Erelie said.
Powell also told Qurei the US is disappointed that he
had not won control of all the PA security forces,
which remain largely in the hands of Arafat, added a
State Department official.
"He did say that... we would have liked to see a
different structure for the security forces," the
official said.
.
|
