Meshaal: talks with Fatah must not fail
www.chinaview.cn 2007-02-05 06:01:34

Exiled politburo chief of Hamas in Syria Khaled Meshaal said on Sunday that Hamas would try its best to make Mecca talks succeed.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal speaks at a news conference in Damascus February 4, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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    DAMASCUS, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Exiled politburo chief of Hamas in Syria Khaled Meshaal said on Sunday that Hamas would try its best to make Mecca talks succeed.

    "The Palestinian dialogue is the only way to solve disputes and boost the national unity and partnership," Meshaal told a press conference.

    He welcomed Saudi King Abdullah's invitation for himself and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to hold talks in the Muslim holy city of Mecca on Tuesday, asserting that the talks must not fail.

    "The situation does not afford failure. I say to Abu Mazen (Abbas): we have no option but to succeed," the leader of the ruling Islamic Resistance Movement said.

    The forthcoming talks between Meshaal and Abbas would be their second in a fortnight.

    They met on Jan. 21 here in Damascus but the meeting failed to bring about a breakthrough in forming a Palestinian national unity government.

    "Our latest meeting with ... Abbas in Damascus was a step on the way for bringing stances together ... Syria was pushing all Palestinians towards reconciliation," Meshaal said.

    Meshaal also called for an immediate stop of the fighting between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement, which he considered as "an exceptional behavior" between the two factions.

    "The Palestinian blood is prohibited and shouldn't be spilled except in resisting the occupation," he said.

    Meanwhile, the Hamas leader also condemned excavations by Israeli archaeologists near Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque, calling on the Palestinians for a popular and comprehensive move to defend the mosque.

    "Israel knows what its violation of the holy Aqsa will bring. It is playing with fire," Meshaal said.

    Related:

    Palestinians hope for Hamas-Fatah agreement on ending infighting in Mecca meeting

    GAZA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Palestinians are counting on an upcoming meeting to be held on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia's Mecca between President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah and Damascus-based exiled Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal.

    Following the furious gunbattles in Gaza between militants from rival Fatah and Hamas movements, which has claimed the lives of 60people since Jan. 25, the Palestinians are eager to see an end to their political, economical and security crisis.

Editor: Mu Xuequan
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