Fatah delegation chief Azzam al-Ahmad shakes hands with Hamas deputy leader Musa Abu Marzouk Azzam Al-Ahmad, Head of the Fatah delegation for dialogue with Hamas, headed by Musa Abu Marzuq, has confirmed today that the first 48-hour meetings in Cairo have concluded in agreement to release the detainees in the West Bank and Gaza and have solved the issue of issuing new passports for the residents of Gaza, in addition to the banned passports by Hamas security services in the Strip.
In a telephone interview with Arabstoday, Azzam Al-Ahmad confirmed that an agreement has been reached to reopen Fatah offices and institutions which have been closed down in Gaza since 2006. He added that Hamas promised to stop carrying out executions and in the territory under its control. Al-Ahmad announced that another round of talks between Fatah and Hamas will be taking place in Cairo early next month to discuss other issues such as a unity government and the future of the PLO, and the legislative council elections. In response to a question concerning local elections, Al-Ahmed revealed that Hamas requested delaying this subject until after a unity government has been formed, so that other Palestinian factions can take part in the discussion.
Before the talks, Fatah official Sakhr Bssisso said they would focus on \"mechanisms of implementing the reconciliation deal\" in all its aspects, including forming a new government, one of the main hurdles delaying the deal. Zahri told AFP on Saturday that his group was \"serious in wanting to implement the agreement as soon as possible.\"
But he added that there were some hurdles, namely Fatah\'s insistence on keeping Salam Fayyad as prime minister.
Meanwhile, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his call for a government of independents, following talks in Amman with Jordan\'s King Abdullah II. \"We have said more than once the Palestinian government that we want to form is not a national unity or coalition government,\" Abbas was quoted as saying by Jordan\'s state-run news agency Petra.
\"We seek a government of independents, transitional government,\" said Abbas, who discussed Palestinian reconciliation with the king, the agency said. In early May, Fatah and Hamas signed a unity deal in Cairo and have met twice since to discuss the formation of an interim government.
However follow-up talks between Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal have been put on hold. The talks reportedly stalled over disagreement about which side should get the post of prime minister. Abbas and his Fatah movement want to keep Fayyad on as premier, despite strong objections from Hamas. Fatah has officially announced its support for Fayyad as prime minister of a government composed of independents, which must organise elections by May 2012, but Hamas has rejected his candidacy, saying it wants somebody from Gaza.