Cairo: Rival Palestinian groups Fatah and
Hamas opened talks on Sunday in Egypt aimed at implementing a
reconciliation agreement struck in May, state news agency MENA
reported.
The two sides held consultations late Saturday in the
presence of Egyptian intelligence officials, the agency said,
adding Fatah`s delegation is led by Azzam al-Ahmed and Hamas
by Musa Abu Marzuq.
Fatah official Sakhr Bssisso said the talks would focus on
"mechanisms of implementing the reconciliation deal," in all
its aspects, including the formation of a new government --
one of the main hurdles delaying the deal.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zahri told a news agency on Saturday that
his group was "serious in wanting to implement the agreement
as soon as possible".
But he added there were some hurdles, namely Fatah`s
insistance to keep Salam Fayyad at the head of the government.
Meanwhile Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas reiterated
his call for a government of independents, following talks in
Amman with Jordan`s King Abdullah II.
"We have said more than once the Palestinian government
that we want to form is not a national unity or coalition
government," Abbas was quoted as saying by Jordan`s state-run
news agency Petra.
"We seek a government of independents, transitional
government," said Abbas, who discussed Palestinian
reconciliation with the king, according to Petra.
In early May, Fatah and Hamas signed a unity deal in Cairo
and have met twice since to discuss the formation of an
interim government.
PTI
