SYRIA: Palestinian President Abbas and Hamas Leader Meshall agree stopping bloodshed priority

Record ID: 278960

  • Title: SYRIA: Palestinian President Abbas and Hamas Leader Meshall agree stopping bloodshed priority
  • Date: 22nd January 2007
  • Summary: (BN14) DAMASCUS, SYRIA (JANUARY 21, 2007) (REUTERS) WIDE OF MEETING, ZOOM IN TO HAMAS LEADER KHALED MESHAAL (ON THE LEFT) AND PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS (ON THE RIGHT) ABBAS MESHAAL WIDE OF MEETING MESHAAL AND ABBAS SHAKING HANDS WIDE OF MEETING
  • Embargoed: 6th February 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA2F92XC62B1QPRXS13WX27VE81
  • Story Text: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal agreed on Sunday (January 21) to make stopping bloodshed between Palestinian factions their priority and to continue talks on forming a unity government. Speaking after three hours of talks in the Syrian capital, Abbas told reporters their meeting had been "fruitful" and that they "agreed that the utmost priority is that there should be no spilling of Palestinian blood."
    A power struggle between Hamas, which swept Palestinian elections last year, and Abbas's long-dominant Fatah faction has led to violence in Gaza and the West Bank after efforts to form a unity government broke down and Abbas called for elections.
    Islamist Hamas has struggled to govern under the weight of U.S.-led sanctions imposed because of its refusal to recognise Israel, renounce violence and abide by interim peace deals.
    Abbas hopes a unity government will get sanctions lifted, but Hamas has resisted some of the conditions.
    A statement read to reporters said the talks on a unity government will continue in two weeks.
    Meshaal said there were "points of disagreement between us but we will sort it through dialogue".
    A meeting scheduled for late on Saturday (January 20) had been postponed after officials failed to reconcile differences over a new government and how it would deal with Western demands.
    On Sunday, Syria's Vice President Farouq al-Shara held separate talks with Abbas and Meshaal in a last ditch effort to get the two men to meet.
    Hamas officials had said Abbas and Meshaal would discuss whom to appoint to the ministries of the interior, finance and foreign affairs in a unity government.
    They also said talks between Abbas aides and Hamas officials in the past few days had reached an understanding Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh will lead the next government.
    A senior Palestinian official in Gaza said on Sunday Hamas had agreed to give up the interior ministry to an independent figure, and that the finance ministry would go to Salam Fayyad, an independent.
    "The discussions are now focused on whether Hamas will use the word 'respect' agreements between the PLO and Israel or 'will be committed to' agreements," said the official, who asked not to be identified, said.
    Abbas arrived in Damascus on Saturday and met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has close ties with Meshaal and allows the exiled Hamas leadership to live in Syria.
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