Fatah joins Hamas

PALESTINIAN leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal last night hailed a new era of partnership between their two rival movements at talks in Cairo aimed at cementing a stalled unity deal.

Speaking to reporters after several hours of talks, the two leaders said they had managed to iron out their differences and turn over a new page in their strained relationship.

"We want to assure our people and the Arab and Islamic world that we have turned a major new and real page in partnership on everything to do with the Palestinian nation," Mr Meshaal said.

"There are no more differences between us now," added Mr Abbas, who heads Fatah. "We have agreed to work as partners with joint responsibility."

It was the first time the two men had held face-to-face talks since they met to sign a reconciliation deal in early May. Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmed said the talks had focused on terms of the unity agreement and on how it should be implemented.

"All the movements who signed the reconciliation agreement in May will be invited to put the final touches on it and start applying it on the ground, and to move forward towards ending the division, and elections," he said.

They also discussed "the question of a truce . . . with Israel, and the question of popular resistance", he said.

Key issues on the agenda were a unified Palestinian strategy, hammering out an interim government, reforming the PLO and agreeing on a date for elections, officials said.