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Fatah, Hamas delegations arrive in Cairo for talks

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-25 09:47

CAIRO -- A Fatah delegation led by senior negotiator Ahmed Qurei arrived in Cairo on Tuesday night, shortly after their Hamas' counterpart's arrival, the state MENA news agency reported.

The Fatah delegation which came from Jordanian capital of Ammanalso groups Nemr Hammad, the Palestinian presidential advisor, and Ahmed Abdel-Rahman, the group's spokesman.

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Earlier on Tuesday, a hamas delegation led by its exiled politburo deputy chief Moussa Abu Marzouk arrived in Cairo for a preparative Fatah-Hamas meeting.

The delegation from Damascus would be joined by Ahmed Bahar, deputy speaker of the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council based in Gaza.

The two rival groups are expected to hold a preparative meeting here on Wednesday, paving the way for the comprehensive inter-Palestinian reconciliation dialogue slated for Thursday.

Egypt has been endeavoring to broker a reconciliation deal among Palestinian factions since Jan. 18 when the 22-day Gaza war ended. The last round of inter-Palestinian dialogue was thwarted by Hamas in November, for the alleged crackdowns against its members in the Fatah-dominated West Bank.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces said on Tuesday evening they have freed eight Hamas members from its jailsin the West Bank, in a goodwill gesture to thaw their rivalry.