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Egypt, USA at odds over next PA government

The UAE-based Al-Khaleej newspaper has quoted an Egyptian diplomatic source on Friday as asserting that Egypt and the USA were at odds on how to deal with the next PA government that includes members of Hamas Movement.

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The UAE-based Al-Khaleej newspaper has quoted an Egyptian diplomatic source on Friday as asserting that Egypt and the USA were at odds on how to deal with the next PA government that includes members of Hamas Movement.

The source, according to the report, accused the US administration of reneging on previous stands on dealing with the next PA government once it is formed in a bid to end the Palestinian political division, and to push the wheel of "peace negotiations" forward as Egypt was told by US envoy George Mitchel last January.

The source added that his government informed the US administration that Egypt was surprised by the US decision of rejecting to deal with a PA government including ministers from Hamas Movement (that won the legislative elections and dominated the PA parliament), and that the decision would foil Egypt"s efforts in this regard.

But the source pointed out that negotiations with the USA and Hamas Movement were going on, adding that talks now were about a PA government headed by an independent figure, in addition to ministers approved by all Palestinian factions, including Hamas Movement, to assume sensitive portfolios that would deal with the USA, the EU, and other international organizations.

Egypt"s intelligence chief Omar Suleiman flew to Washington a couple of weeks ago to discuss with the US officials the Palestinian file.

Omar"s deputy, Omar Al-Qinawi, is expected to meet with Hamas"s political leadership in the Syrian capital Damascus to discuss the inter-Palestinian dialogue.

Dr. Ismail Redwan, the political leader in Hamas Movement, confirmed the meeting, adding that both parties would discuss ways and means to make the dialogue succeed.