| Hamas talks to egypt about new palestinian government { February 6 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/06/AR2006020600820.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/06/AR2006020600820.html
Hamas talks to Egypt about new Palestinian government
Reuters Monday, February 6, 2006; 1:44 PM
CAIRO (Reuters) - Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which swept Palestinian elections last month, discussed with Egyptian officials on Monday the possible inclusion of the defeated Fatah party in a new government, Hamas officials said.
Speaking ahead of the talks, Hamas official Mohammad Nazzal said the group would talk to Egyptian officials about "the possibility of cooperation with Fatah in forming the coming government," Egypt's MENA news agency reported.
A Hamas leader said on Saturday the group had asked Fatah to join a government, but it had yet to respond.
Hamas is trying to form a new Palestinian government after defeating the long-dominant Fatah movement in January 25 elections.
Both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt have said the new government must respect interim peace deals made by the Palestinian Authority with Israel.
But Hamas does not recognize Israel and its charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
The talks in Cairo are expected to last several days.
Egypt is emerging as a prominent intermediary as Abbas and Hamas try to form a new government while averting the danger of foreign donors cutting off aid.
Abbas said on Friday it could take time before a new government was formed. After their party's defeat in the January parliamentary elections, Fatah gunmen protested against any idea of power sharing with Hamas.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said his group would continue talking with other Palestinian factions on forming a government if Fatah decided not to take part.
"We aim to form a wide national coalition government with Palestinian technocrats and experts," he told Reuters.
(Additional reporting by Mohamed Taha)
© 2006 Reuters
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