SYRIA: Hamas movement is ready for dialogue with Fatah under the guardianship of Egypt

Record ID: 279955

  • Title: SYRIA: Hamas movement is ready for dialogue with Fatah under the guardianship of Egypt
  • Date: 26th January 2008
  • Summary: (W4) DAMASCUS, SYRIA (JANUARY 25, 2008) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) KHALED MESHAAL, HAMAS LEADER, ARRIVING TO THE STATEMENT ROOM THE SIGN OF HAMAS KHALED MESHAAL, HAMAS LEADER, WITH THE REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KHALED MESHAAL, HAMAS LEADER, SAYING: "Regarding the invitation of the President Hosni Mobarak, we, in Hamas movement, welcome this invitation and we are ready to re
  • Embargoed: 10th February 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVABIU52ZMQC192WN532DQKPS2YN
  • Story Text: Hamas accepted on Friday an invitation by Egypt to hold talks with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction in Cairo to solve the Palestinian schism.
    Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, in an interview to be published on Saturday, invited the two sides to meet for talks in Cairo.
    The rift between Hamas and Fatah widened after Abbas agreed to re-launch peace talks with Israel following the Annapolis peace conference that convened in the United States in November.

    "Regarding the invitation of the President Hosni Mobarak, we, in Hamas movement, welcome this invitation and we are ready to respond to it under an Egyptian guardianship for the dialogue between our brothers in Fatah and the Palestinian presidency and us without conditions," Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal told Reuters.
    Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June after routing forces loyal to Abbas in fighting that killed dozens of Palestinians.
    Abbas has demanded that Hamas relinquish its hold on Gaza and agree to early presidential and parliamentary elections before resuming a dialogue with the Islamist group.
    Hamas, which defeated Fatah in elections in 2006, has rejected those terms and called for unconditional talks.
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