Sun, October 12, 2008
GAZA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement retreated doubts over Egyptian efforts to launch a Palestinian national dialogue settling a widening political crisis, an Arabic newspaper reported on Sunday.
Mousa Abu Marzouq, Hamas deputy politburo chief who represented the movement in recent talks with Egyptian mediators, made the remarks as Cairo prepares to launch a dialogue next month to end more than 16 months of rift and feud between rival Hamas and Fatah movements, said the Kuwait-based al-Jazreeda daily.
"Our meeting with the Egyptian intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, proves that those doubts were unrelated to the Egyptian position," Abu Marzouq was quoted as saying.
The Palestinian split widened last year after Hamas routed forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and took over the Gaza Strip by force, politically separating the strip from theWest Bank.
Hamas has earlier accused Egypt of not being a neutral mediator.
Abu Marzouq said that "the international and regional wind push for achieving the national Palestinian reconciliation."
Hamas delegation ended its talks with the Egyptians last week after hearing Egypt's proposals for settling the crisis. Hamas was the last faction of 12 Palestinian groups that talked with Egypt on how to end the split.
Hamas has reportedly accepted most of the Egyptian proposal, but observers warn that this acceptance should not raise hopes since a number of key issues still delayed for the dialogue.
