Hamas, Fatah suspend unity talks

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:35:08 GMT | PressTV

Senior Fatah leader Ahmed Qurei (L) and
Hamas deputy chief Moussa Abu Marzouk

Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have suspended reconciliation talks in Egypt for three weeks to consider new proposals.

"There are new creative proposals and each movement needs to consult its leadership," senior Fatah official, Nabil Shaath, said on Thursday.

"We decided to resume the negotiations at a later date, sometime between April 21 and 26," he added.

Senior delegations from Hamas and acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmud Abbas' Fatah met in Cairo on Wednesday to resume unity talks, which collapsed two weeks ago after they failed to agree on the formula for a national unity government.

The factions hoped to form a unity transitional government by the end of March to prepare for general elections early next year.

Shaath said the suspension of the talks was 'neither a failure nor a success'.

Differences between the two Palestinian factions reached their peak in June 2007 when Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in a bid to 'foil a coupe plot by some Fatah elements'.

Abbas in response dismissed the Hamas government headed by Ismail Haniya who came to power after winning elections in 2006.