Xinhua
July 8, 2010 - 12:00am
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-07/08/c_13390554.htm


The Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal wrote a letter to Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, telling him he is ready to meet leaders from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party in Cairo, a Hamas official said Thursday.

Mashaal sent his letter with an Egyptian lawmaker Mustafa Bakri when he met him in Damascus Tuesday, Yousef Rizka, an adviser to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haneya, told Xinhua.

Mashaal suggested holding "a meeting between high-ranking officials from Hamas and Fatah in Cairo" to discuss Hamas' reservations on an Egyptian plan aimed at reconciling the two Palestinian movements, Rizka said.

Last year, Egypt suspended its efforts to reconcile the two movements after Hamas rejected the Egyptian-drafted proposal, which would have restored political unity to Gaza and the West Bank that have been divided since Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and seized control of Gaza by force.

"Mashaal reiterated that Hamas is ready to sign the Egyptian proposal after reaching a bilateral agreement between Hamas and Fatah on Hamas' notes (reservations)," Rizka said.

Hamas' reservations involved elections and the reform of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), but Cairo stressed not to discuss these reservations before Hamas signs the plan.




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