World briefs 3/10/03

China's legislature approves Cabinet reform

BEIJING -- China's legislature on Monday approved a sweeping restructuring of the country's Cabinet, a move designed to help the government grapple with the enormous economic and social changes unleashed by two decades of reform.

The changes bring China's system closer to American and other Western models.

The new plan consolidates trade and economic operations and creates a single Cabinet-level oversight agency for banks handling more foreign investment than ever before, to make sure that endemic corruption and graft do not sink its ship.

The changes eliminated the State Development Planning Commission, the agency long entrusted with carrying out the traditional five-year plans of the Communist Party's controlled economy. China has spent the last two decades on a path of capitalist-style reforms.

Violence mars Mexican state election Sunday

SAN SALVADOR ATENCO, Mexico -- Protesters wearing ski masks and waving machetes demolished voting booths and fought with authorities Sunday during municipal elections in Mexico's largest state.

More than 8 million voters were choosing 124 mayors and 45 lawmakers in the state that borders Mexico City. The vote comes four months before congressional elections that could determine the success of President Vicente Fox's administration, which has struggled during its first three years against hostile lawmakers.

Violence broke out Sunday in San Salvador Atenco, the scene of a major clash with Fox's government last year over building a new international airport in this town 15 miles northeast of Mexico City.

Protesters prevented officials from holding municipal elections there Sunday, claiming Atenco had seceded from the rest of Mexico state since that dispute. State officials say Atenco still is part of the state.

Arafat to control peace talks, security forces

JERUSALEM -- Yasser Arafat will retain control of security forces and peace negotiations even after his deputy Mahmoud Abbas is appointed prime minister, a senior Palestinian official said Sunday.

The deal would sidestep key reform demands by Israel and the United States that Arafat hand over authority to a powerful prime minister and retain only a ceremonial role. The two countries have banned their officials from meeting with Arafat, charging that he has not taken steps to stop Palestinian violence.

Arafat made the agreement at a meeting Friday with Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen. Arafat said the Palestine Central Council, a PLO policymaking body, on Sunday approved the appointment of Abbas, whom he called "my brother."

Council head Riad Zanoun said Arafat has the power to appoint and dismiss the premier, whose "duty will be to help President Arafat."

Turkish leader Erdogan wins by huge margin

ANKARA, Turkey -- Governing party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a seat in parliament by a huge margin Sunday, a crucial victory that opens the way for him to become prime minister and strengthens his hand in uniting a government divided on allowing in U.S. troops for an Iraq war.

The charismatic Erdogan -- already the nation's de facto leader -- has advocated the U.S. troop deployment in Turkey, and analysts say one of his first moves as premier could be to purge ministers who oppose it.

Prime Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to resign Wednesday to make way for Erdogan to take over the government, after Erdogan's Justice and Development Party overwhelmingly won by-election balloting in the southern town of Siirt. Gov. Nuri Okutan of Siirt said Justice captured 84.7 percent of the vote.

It was unclear when parliament would be ready to take up a new resolution on U.S. troop deployment, after lawmakers failed to approve a resolution March 1.

-- From wire reports