Abbas says nothing "unsound" about Fatah election

[oberliner]

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday rejected a complaint by former prime minister Ahmed Qurie that he had lost his seat on the executive of Fatah in an "unsound" party election.

Qurie, who was a peace negotiator with Israel for years, leveled the charge a day after Fatah announced final results of voting for its Central Committee members at the first congress in 20 years of the dominant Palestinian movement.

"Our people and the world followed Fatah as it undertook an election process which was democratic and transparent," Abbas told a news conference.

"As for those who were unlucky in this election, that's democracy. But they will continue to have a role in the party."

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSLD42082220090813