RAMALLAH, West Bank, July 20 (AFP) - Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei refused to retract his resignation in a meeting with veteran leader Yasser Arafat Tuesday but will remain in his post for the time being, ministers said.
"There has been no breakthrough. Abu Alaa (Qorei) has not changed his position about resigning from yesterday," minister without portfolio Qadura Fares said after Qorei and his cabinet met with Arafat at his leadership compound here.
"Abu Alaa is prepared to continue in his position for the time being but only until the formation of a new government," he told AFP.
Qorei submitted his resignation on Saturday after an unprecedented spate of kidnappings. Arafat has refused to accept it but Qorei announced after a cabinet meeting on Monday that his resignation was still "effective."
Telecommunciations minister Azzam Al-Ahmed also said that Arafat had again declined to accept the resignation at Tuesday's meeting.
"President Arafat is continuing to refuse to accept the resignation and Qorei agreed to continue in his job for the moment," he told AFP.