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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| No agreement in Palestinian talks | No agreement in Palestinian talks |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas' exiled political chief have failed to agree on forming a national unity government during talks in Syria. | Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas' exiled political chief have failed to agree on forming a national unity government during talks in Syria. |
| However they said progress had been made and that talks on the issue would resume within two weeks. | However they said progress had been made and that talks on the issue would resume within two weeks. |
| Mr Abbas and Khaled Meshaal said although differences remained they would be resolved through dialogue. | Mr Abbas and Khaled Meshaal said although differences remained they would be resolved through dialogue. |
| The talks came amid a power struggle between their factions in Gaza, in which dozens of people have died. | The talks came amid a power struggle between their factions in Gaza, in which dozens of people have died. |
| Mr Abbas has threatened to call fresh elections unless a deal on forming a national unity government is reached. | Mr Abbas has threatened to call fresh elections unless a deal on forming a national unity government is reached. |
| The BBC's Rachel Harvey in Damascus says the official line is that progress has been made and negotiations will continue back in Gaza. | |
| But she says after all the diplomatic pressure to get these two men in the same room - not least from their Syrian hosts - many here are left wondering what has really been achieved. | |
| 'Need for dialogue' | 'Need for dialogue' |
| Following three hours of talks, Mr Abbas and Mr Meshaal said efforts to form a national unity government had "covered a great distance" and negotiations would resume within two weeks. | Following three hours of talks, Mr Abbas and Mr Meshaal said efforts to form a national unity government had "covered a great distance" and negotiations would resume within two weeks. |
| It is not normal to fight Khaled MeshaalHamas political chief "There are still points of disagreement between us but we will sort it through dialogue," Mr Meshaal said. | It is not normal to fight Khaled MeshaalHamas political chief "There are still points of disagreement between us but we will sort it through dialogue," Mr Meshaal said. |
| "We stress that dialogue is the only language allowed for solving our differences... It is not normal to fight." | "We stress that dialogue is the only language allowed for solving our differences... It is not normal to fight." |
| Mr Meshaal said there was agreement between the two sides on rejecting the idea of temporary borders for a transitional Palestinian state. | |
| "We assure people that we are not taking anything away from our national rights as Palestinians", he said. | |
| For his part, Mr Abbas described the discussions as "fruitful". | |
| The two men repeated their call for an end to the internal fighting which has left more than 30 Palestinians dead. | The two men repeated their call for an end to the internal fighting which has left more than 30 Palestinians dead. |
| Hamas roundly defeated Mr Abbas' Fatah faction in parliamentary elections a year ago, but their victory prompted an international aid boycott which has crippled the Palestinian economy. | |
| Fatah advocates negotiations with the Israelis on a future Palestinian state, while Hamas refuses to recognise Israel's right to exist. | |