Palestinians Sunday decided to hold presidential elections on Jan. 9 to succeed late Yasser Arafat, official sources said Sunday. 

The decision was made by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the mainstream Fatah Movement, the sources added.

Chaired by Mahmoud Abbas who succeeded Arafat as PLO's chairman, a joint meeting of the PLO Executive Committee and Fatah Central Council was held at the Muqata building, the headquarters where Arafat was buried.

This decision came one day after Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei promised that the presidential elections to formally choose a leader to succeed the late Arafat would be held within 60 days in the Palestinian territories.

Under the Palestinian basic law, presidential elections must be held within 60 days following Arafat's death.

The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Speaker Rawhi Fattuh was named to be the interim Palestinian National Authority (PNA) president before the elections were held.

(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2004)