EGYPT DENIES REFUSAL TO HOLD PALESTINIAN RECONCILIATION TALKS

Cairo, 26 Dzulqa’dah 1435/21 September 2014 (MINA) – Egypt has denied media reports about refusing to host Palestinian reconciliation talks in Cairo.

In a Saturday statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry described the reports about refusing to host the inter-Palestinian talks as “groundless and bare of truth”.

Local media earlier reported that Egypt had rejected a request by Palestinian movement Fatah to hold reconciliation talks with rival Hamas group in Cairo, ALRAY, Palestinian Media Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Monday.

Tensions have mounted recently between Hamas and Fatah, the latter of which is led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The tension comes in spite of a June reconciliation deal that produced a unity government headed by West Bank-based Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdullah.

The unity government has yet to assume political control of the Gaza Strip, however, impeding payment of public-sector salaries in the coastal territory.

Both factions, meanwhile, continue to accuse each other of attempting to sabotage the reconciliation deal.

The deal ended seven years of division between the two factions, which had led to the establishment of two separate seats of government – Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza – after the latter routed troops loyal to Abbas in 2007 and assumed control of the entire Gaza Strip. (T/P002/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)