Egyptian intelligence chiefs in Damascus to push Palestinian talks

Egyptian intelligence chiefs in Damascus to push Palestinian talksDamascus  - Top-level Egyptian intelligence officers arrived in Damascus on Tuesday in a bid to advance Egyptian-brokered talks aimed at reconciling rival Palestinian factions.

The move comes ahead of the resumption of talks at the end of this month aimed at enabling Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Fatah, which rules the West Bank, to form a unity government or agree an Egyptian compromise.

General Mohammed Ibrahim, Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman's deputy, and Ahmed Abdel-Khalq, the head of Suleiman's office, will meet with Syrian officials and political leaders of Palestinian factions hosted by Damascus, a representative of those factions said.

The Egyptian officials would seek to "remove all obstacles and difficulties ahead of the resumption of (Palestinian) talks on July 25," Khaled Abul-Majid, secretary of the committee that represents the Palestinian factions in Damascus, told the German Press Agency dpa.

A sixth round of Egyptian-brokered talks between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah, and Hamas adjourned without an agreement on June 30.

Egypt had imposed a July 7 deadline on the groups either to sign an agreement on a national unity government or accept an Egyptian compromise that would see a joint committee coordinate the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and prepare for elections.

Fatah and Hamas delegates agreed to consult with their leaders and to meet in Cairo again to sign an agreement by July 25.

Abul-Majid said Syria was also coordinating with Saudi Arabia ahead of Palestinian negotiators' return to Cairo, in the hope that three-way cooperation between Syria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia could persuade Palestinian factions to set aside their differences.

Hamas has said that Abbas' security forces must release hundreds of its members held in West Bank jails before any other issues can be resolved. During the sixth round of talks, representatives of Fatah and Hamas each accused security forces from the other of continuing the arrests.

Abul-Majid said that the Palestinian factions were also discussing the question of control of the security forces and the conduct of fresh Palestinian elections with Syrian, Egyptian and Saudi officials.(dpa)