GAZA CITY (AFP) - The new Palestinian leadership was set to host outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell next week as it grappled to prevent security from unravelling amid the battle to succeed Yasser Arafat.
The Palestinian announcement of Powell's impending arrival comes just days after US President George W. Bush said Arafat's death had provided an opportunity to open a new chapter in the peace process.
It also coincided with the state department saying that Powell, who had differences with hawkish members of Bush's administration over Iraq, had resigned but would stay on until a replacement was found.
"People outside are concerned about us. Colin Powell is coming, he is going to meet with all the leaders," Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath told AFP, saying the secretary of state was expected to arrive on November 23.
The State Department confirmed Powell wants to meet the new Palestinian leadership, but said no date had yet been announced. It would be one of the last diplomatic missions for Powell who is standing down after four years.
Officials in London meanwhile also announced that British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was to visit the region as soon as possible.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Bush last week poured over prospects for a renewed quest for Middle East peace.
New PLO chairman, Mahmud Abbas, seen as a relative moderate by the United States, was on Monday locked in talks with security service and faction leaders one day after emerging unscathed from a shootout in a Gaza City mourning tent.
The 69-year-old Palestine Liberation Organisation chairman is in pole position to win an election slated for January 9 to succeed Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority, although he lacks broad popular support.
There have been fears that Arafat's passing could unleash a wave of violence, especially in the Gaza Strip -- the scene of several deadly clashes between security services and armed factions in recent months.
Officials have denied that the Sunday evening shoot-out, in which two security men were killed, was an assassination attempt, but it underlined fears that Arafat's death could trigger an upsurge in lawlessness.
Former Palestinian security minister Mohammed Dahlan told Al-Arabiya television that a "gang of mercenaries" known to police, and not Abbas enemies, were responsible.
"There are pockets of political differences that reflect on the security and what we want to do is reduce or eliminate the pockets of differences," Shaath said of the shooting. Dahlan denied there was any political angle.
Israeli media has reported that army chief of staff General Moshe Yaalon had warned ministers Sunday that the militants were likely to increase their attacks in a bid to torpedo efforts made by Abbas to secure a ceasefire.
The shooting was condemned by Hamas and fellow Palestinian militant groups and Islamic Jihad whose leaders were all due to meet Abbas on Monday.
Abbas resigned 14 months ago as prime minister when Arafat refused to grant him greater control of the sprawling security apparatus. He also failed last year to persuade Hamas to implement a disarmament programme.
Looking ahead to the election, negotiations minister Saeb Erakat said it would be crucial in avoiding "violence and anarchy" after urging Bush to stand "should to shoulder" with the Palestinians in order to make the vote work.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, who was himself in Washington, said overnight that the Jewish state was prepared to consider coordinating its plan to evacuate the Gaza Strip with the Palestinians.
"If a new leadership on the Palestinian side acts to combat terror, then we will be able to consider coordinating aspects of the 'day after' with them. But we can not afford to leave ourselves hostages to fortune," he said.
Although Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon boycotted Arafat, both men played host to Abbas during negotiations last year, before the peace process effectively stalled after Abbas quit as prime minister.
Shaath confirmed that the dominant Fatah faction had reached a consensus that Abbas should be its candidate in the January 9 elections but said there would no immediate official announcement.

11/15/2004 - 17:30 GMT - AFP