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U.S. retains security coordinator to work with Abbas, not Hamas

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, April 17, 2007

PLO COULD CLOSE EMBASSIES IN ARAB WORLD RAMALLAH — The Palestine Liberation Organization has been examining a plan to close embassies in the Arab world.

Officials said the PLO has failed to maintain the embassies or pay salaries to diplomatic staffers. They said some of the embassies could close in late 2007.

On April 9, a PLO panel ended a three-day meeting in the Jordanian capital of Amman to discuss the financial crisis of the Palestinian Foreign Ministry. The meetings were headed by PA Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ahmed Subih.

Subih said salaries and conditions have not been standardized at Palestinian embassies. He said some staffers were affiliated to the PLO, while others were employees of the Palestinian Authority.

Officials said the PLO does not plan to sever diplomatic relations with any country in which a Palestinian embassy would be closed. He said a Palestinian ambassador could be responsible for several states.

Critics said Palestinian embassies have been wasteful, with ambassadors embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars. They said both the PA and the PLO have lost track of financing.

"These are false rumors based on no evidence," Subih said.


Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc.

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