President Abbas: New Ballot Likely in Three Weeks

Friday January 26, 2007 18:27 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Palestinian President and Fatah leader, Mahmoud Abbass said Friday that he would repeat a call for early presidential and legislative elections if current talks on national unity government fail.

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas

Abbas was speaking in a press briefing on the sideline of the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland. “We are at a junction, either yes or no. This doesn’t need more than two weeks or  a maximum of three weeks”, Abbas told reporters.

“There are two key points, compliance with the Palestinian, Arab and international legitimacies as well as acceptance of independent members of any would-be government”, the President refereed to the basis of Palestinian factions talks. "If we fail to achieve a national unity government that allows us to lift the siege, I will call for presidential elections," Abbass maintained.

These remarks came as Palestinian factions agreed to restart serious talks next Sunday with the aim of reaching an agreement that would end the internationally-imposed economic embargo and finalize a unity government.

Meanwhile, Fatah spokesman, Tawfic Abu Khousa, doubted on Friday the success of any dialogue, blaming Hamas for recent renewed factional infighting in Gaza."How can a dialogue go on when there is a bomb underneath the table?”, Abu Khousa said.

Over the past 24 hours, three Palestinians were killed during factional infighting between members of the Palestinian interior ministry’s executive force, formed of Hamas, and supporters of Fatah in northern Gaza Strip.

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