Jordan's king backs bid for Fatah-Hamas dialogue

Jul 8, 2007, 16:07 GMT

Amman - Jordan's King Abdullah II conferred Sunday with the Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Mohammad al-Saqr, and voiced support for a move by Arab lawmakers to bring about reconciliation between the feuding Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah, according to an official statement.

Al-Saqr briefed the monarch on 'efforts and contacts being made by an Arab parliamentary delegation with a view to bringing about reconciliation and starting a dialogue between Fatah and Hamas', the statement from the royal court said.

'Jordan backs all moves aimed at consolidating the Palestinian unity and cohesion at this stage which makes it imperative for Palestinians to unite in order to be able to regain their rights, including the setting up of their independent state,' the statement quoted the king as saying.

King Abdullah also 'underscored the importance of patching up the Palestinian rift and emphasised that the continuation of the Palestinian split will only impede any progress in the peace process and provide (Israel) with a pretext regarding the absence of a Palestinian partner capable of resuming the peace talks'.

The monarch's remarks reflected Jordan's first unequivocal backing for starting dialogue between Hamas and Fatah, a move that was launched two weeks ago by the Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak at the Sharm el-Sheikh four-way summit.

Al-Saqr, who doubles as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee at the Kuwaiti National Assembly, is leading an effort by the Arab parliament to reconcile Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement and the rival Hamas group following the takeover of the Gaza Strip by the radical faction.

The Arab parliament chief and other Arab lawmakers met with Abbas in Amman Saturday and told reporters later that both sides agreed to form a committee to follow up the reconciliation bid.

The panel comprises two Arab MPs and head of Fatah's parliamentary bloc at the Palestinian Legislative Council, Azzam al-Ahmad.

Al-Saqr also announced that he met in Damascus last week with Hamas' Politburo chief Khalid Mishaal, who expressed 'readiness for reconciliation with Fatah'.