KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Palestinian Authority made clear today it plans to hold elections for hundreds of government positions, up to and including president, early next year. But in light of President Bush's hard-hitting speech on Monday, what might have been a forgone conclusion, Yasser Arafat's bid for re-election instead is being hedged. CNN's Sheila MacVicar brings us the latest now from Jerusalem.</s>SHEILA MACVICAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just two days after U.S. President George Bush called for new leadership for the Palestinian people, Palestinian Authority announced today that it plans to hold new presidential elections between January 10 and January 20, 2003. That's six months from now. Now, these elections are part after larger program of reform that the Palestinian Authority has been working on for months. They have been working on these reforms in conjunction with quite often the help of American diplomats and other international dignitaries. It will -- these reforms will also lead to the creation of an independent judiciary, the reformation of the Palestinian Security Services and adoption by mid July of all of what is called Palestinian's Basic Law, which is in effect the Palestinian constitution.</s>SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: We want to hold the elections, and we call upon the international community it to help us.
Palestinian Authority Plans to Hold Elections Early Next Year