World digest 4/28/03

New Palestinian premier demands Arafat's freedom

JERUSALEM -- The incoming Palestinian prime minister demanded on Sunday that Israel grant Yasser Arafat freedom of movement, reluctant to meet with foreign leaders about Mideast peace moves with the Palestinian leader still under siege.

The statement by Mahmoud Abbas reflects Arafat's continuing influence as Palestinians prepare to endorse Abbas and his Cabinet, setting the stage for the presentation of a U.S.-backed peace plan.

Arafat appointed Abbas at the insistence of Israel and the United States, who have refused to deal with the Palestinian leader himself. Underlining that position, the White House has said the peace plan will be formally presented after Abbas takes office.

But on Sunday, Abbas indicated that he would not be a party to neutralizing Arafat, ruling out any travel abroad for meetings with officials until Israel lifts its restrictions, which have in effect confined Arafat to his Ramallah office building for more than a year.

U.S. military officials still want presence in Gulf

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- The United States wants to keep using military bases in friendly Persian Gulf countries, including a high-tech command center in Qatar where planners directed the war in Iraq, U.S. officials said Sunday.

Officials are considering moving the air operations center at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, which ran the Iraq air war. One possibility is a shift to the Qatar base, Camp As Sayliyah.

Gen. Tommy Franks, the top war commander, and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld met with officials in the United Arab Emirates on the first stop of a tour of the region. After talks with the UAE's defense minister and chief of staff, Rumsfeld and Franks said American military forces were not going to leave any time soon.

"We assured them that the United States intends to do what is necessary to make sure there is a secure environment in Iraq," Rumsfeld said.

"There's no question but that the people of this region are safer today than they were when the Saddam Hussein regime was in power."

Following violence, Yemen elections come to close

SAN'A, Yemen -- Gunfights marred parliamentary elections in Yemen on Sunday, wounding at least 15 people and prompting officials to close three polling stations.

But the vote was extended by two hours in other areas after elections officials said turnout was strong. Some 175 international observers and thousands of Yemeni monitors oversaw the vote.

Abdu al-Janadi, head of the Supreme Commission for Elections, said the results were expected to be announced within 72 hours.

The 1,200 candidates were contesting 301 seats in Yemen's first parliamentary elections in six years. Twenty-two political parties were represented, while some candidates were running as independents. Eleven women also stood as candidates.

Paraguay elects president amid economic slump

ASUNCION, Paraguay -- Paraguay's longtime governing party held a runaway lead in exit polls after Sunday's presidential election, apparently keeping its 55-year grip on politics despite its failure to avert the worst economic crisis in decades.

Even before official results were being tallied, Nicanor Duarte, a 46-year-old lawyer and former sportscaster, sounded triumphant, while cheering supporters waved flags and thronged the capital's streets after exit polls by TV Channel 13 and Radio Nanduti showed Duarte far ahead of his two main challengers.

"I'm not going to let you down," the Colorado Party candidate said to cheers as he promised he would clinch victory and reverse a deep economic crisis. "I want to be the president who restores the country to dignity and earns the respect of the national and the international community."

-- From wire reports