PLO chief vows to follow Arafat's path
"We promise that we will continue on the same path that you (Arafat) have paved to achieve the dream that has always lived with you... establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Abbas told MPs in a special session of parliament to honour the late leader.
Abbas was unanimously adopted by Fatah's decision-making central committee at a meeting late Monday, a move which will be rubber-stamped by the Revolutionary Council on Thursday.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. He is now the overwhelming favourite to win the January 9 election to succeed Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority, especially as the militant Islamist movement Hamas has decided to boycott the poll.
The main international sponsors of the Middle East roadmap, a peace plan endorsed by Israel and the Palestinians last year and which aims to create a Palestinian state in 2005, met in Egypt Tuesday on the sidelines of an international conference on Iraq as part of a flurry of diplomatic activity.
"We are all encouraged. We reaffirmed our determination to work with the Palestinian leadership to support the (January 9) election" to choose a successor to Arafat, UN chief Kofi Annan told reporters.
"We must give them all the necessary support. There is an opportunity to... move ahead with the roadmap" peace plan.
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