The Palestinian Legislative Council (parliament) on 29 April approved the cabinet of newly-appointed prime minister Mahmoud Abbas by a majority of 51 votes to 18, with three abstentions. The final confirmation of the cabinet, which follows weeks of wrangling over personnel between Abbas and Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat, leaves the road open for the long-awaited formal publication of the peace roadmap prepared by the quartet of the US, the UN, the EU and Russia - expected to take place within days. Abbas declared himself very happy with the vote and pledged in his acceptance speech to focus on security. 'To end the disorder and the chaos of weapons -will be one of the main tasks of the government,' he told MPs. 'The government will in particular concentrate its attention on the security of Palestinian citizens and their safety in their homeland.' However, he warned that the Israelis too would have to take decisive action to bring peace, dismantling settlements on Palestinian land and accepting the peace plan as it stands. 'We will not negotiate the roadmap. The roadmap must be implemented in its current form.' Washington welcomed the cabinet's confirmation. 'The president looks forward to working with the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian people, the Israeli government [and] the Israeli people to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East,' said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.