PALESTINIAN LEGISLATURE CAN'T DECIDE ON PM POWERS

RAMALLAH [MENL] -- The Palestinian legislature has failed to define thepowers of the first prime minister for the Palestinian Authority. The 88-member Palestinian Legislative Council was split, with a reformcampseeking to empower the prime minister with wide authority in such fieldsas defense and foreign policy. The reformers were confronted by loyalists ofPA Chairman Yasser Arafat, who intended to ensure that any prime ministerwould be subordinate to Arafat.