FATAH OFFICIAL DISCUSSES RECONCILIATION WITH HAMAS LEADER

Ramallah, 9 Rabi’ul Awwal 1435/11 January 2014 (MINA) – Azzam al-Ahmad, the Fatah official in charge of the reconciliation talks with Hamas, said Thursday he held prolonged conversation over the phone with Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, regarding resuming efforts to reach final reconciliation.

“I talked to Haniyeh for a long time and we agreed to meet soon,” Ahmad told a local radio station, WAFA quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

He said the meeting is going to focus on forming a government of national consensus as agreed on in Doha and to agree on issuing a presidential decree for holding general elections after six months or as the president decides to be concurrent with forming the new government.

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“We are waiting to hear from Hamas telling us it is ready to implement what we agreed on, and when that happens, I will go together with a Fatah delegation to Gaza or to any other place we agree on to announce this agreement,” said Ahmad.

He said Haniyeh asked for time to discuss this matter with the Hamas leadership at home and abroad.

Resumption of reconciliation efforts came after Haniyeh said last week he was ready to end the division with Fatah.

He also released from prison on Wednesday seven Fatah members as a goodwill gesture to Fatah. (T/P02/E1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)