Hamas, Fatah delegates to hold talks in Cairo

RAMALLAH, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Delegations from Hamas and Fatah, the major Palestinian factions, are heading for Cairo Saturday to hold the first high-level meeting after they signed an agreement of reconciliation earlier this month.

The meeting will focus on the formation of the technocratic unity government according to the Egyptian-brokered deal the two rivals signed, an official from Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) told Xinhua.

Fatah will try to persuade Hamas to accept Salam Fayyad, the head of the West Bank-based government, to lead the new government that will also rule the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua.

Fayyad, the western-educated economist, enjoys an international credibility and may succeed to reduce the level of isolation on the government that would be formed with Hamas.

The new agreement allows President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party, based in the West Bank, to enter in alliance with Islamic Hamas movement, which the United States and most of European countries classify it as a terrorist group.

Meanwhile, the PLO official said that Hamas "delivered positive signals" about nominating Fayyad for the upcoming government.

The official expected that Hamas and Fatah will agree on the new government and its members by Monday.

Source: Xinhua.
Link: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-05/14/c_13874962.htm.