Chretien to step down in 2004

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has said he will not seek a fourth term and plans to leave office in February 2004.

The announcement yesterday at a hastily arranged news conference came at a Liberal Party caucus meeting in Quebec, where Mr Chretien faced calls by supporters of rival Paul Martin to state clearly if he would run for a fourth consecutive term in an election that must take place by the end of 2005.