Abbas: West wants clear policy from Palestinian unity government

Feb 26, 2007, 13:55 GMT

Cairo - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday that while Western countries had welcomed a Palestinian power-sharing deal, they had demanded the policy 'be clearer'.

Abbas' Fatah movement and the militant Hamas organisation agreed in the Saudi city of Mecca on February 8 to form a government of national unity.

Western governments, Abbas said, were concerned whether Hamas would recognise Israel, denounce violence and abide by previous Israel-Palestine agreements, he said.

'We will have to wait until we are through with structuring a Palestinian unity government,' Abbas told reporters in Cairo following talks with Egyption President Hosni Mubarak.

Abbas had just returned from a European tour where he sought support and backing from Paris, Berlin, Brussels and London for the planned government of national unity.

Its cabinet would consist of an alliance of different factions and members would be obliged to follow its policies, he said.

The factions from which the cabinet members are to be chosen, might not necessarily agree with the government's position, he noted.

Abbas hopes the unity deal will end a crippling Western economic and diplomatic boycott on the Palestinian government.

In response to questions in Cairo about a possible Israeli blockade on Abbas himself, the Palestinian leader responded by saying: 'it is possible' but added: 'No one knows' if this would happen.

'I agreed to meet soon with Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert, and Olmert did not say he will boycott me.'