RAMALLAH, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia said Wednesday the ongoing peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have so far achieved no progress and it takes "a miracle" for an agreement to be reached within the year.

    Qureia made the statement in a meeting with senior Fatah movement leaders in Ramallah, saying that amid such complications in the talks "it will be a miracle to reach this year a permanent peace deal with Israel."

    Qureia and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni attended on Monday a meeting held in Jerusalem between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

    "The peace negotiations with Israel is tackling all outstanding issues, but so far we haven't achieved any tangible progress," said Qureia, adding that several committees were formed for each major issue.

    He then said that reaching an agreement within this year "need a miracle to happen."

    Asked about the current internal Palestinian situation and the division between Gaza which is controlled by Hamas and the West Bank controlled by Fatah, Qureia said "this situation can't serve anyone."

    The ongoing internal division among the Palestinians is not serving the interest of anybody or the Palestinian cause. Therefore, getting out of this crisis needs an end of the Hamas coup in Gaza."

    He noted that there are positive moves towards ending the current division among the Palestinians, adding that "the internal Palestinian cause is less complicated than the internal Lebanese cause."