Xinhua
June 8, 2011 - 12:00am
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-06/08/c_13917978.htm


Delegates from rival Palestinian factions will meet in Cairo next week for more talks after they have agreed to reconcile, an official said Wednesday.

The representatives of Hamas and Fatah will talk next Tuesday about the formation of a technocratic government in accordance with the Egypt-brokered agreement that was signed early last month, said Azzam Al-Ahmad, an official from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.

"The meeting will look into starting steps to implement the agreement," Al-Ahmad told Xinhua.

The agreement is expected to end the political split between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank started when Hamas routed pro- Abbas forces and took over Gaza in 2007.

In addition to the formation of a united government, the agreement envisions general elections after a year.

Meanwhile, a Hamas leader said in a statement that the two sides will also discuss the issue of Hamas prisoners held in the West Bank by the Fatah-led Palestinian National Authority for political backgrounds.

Tuesday's meeting will be the second high-profile discussion between the two Palestinian rivals since they signed the reconciliation agreement.




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