Shaath: Reconciliation Yet to Appeal to Hamas in Damascus
06/02/2010
By Kifah Ziboun
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=19781

Ramallah, Asharq Al-Awsat - Fatah Central Committee Member Dr. Nabil Shaath
told Asharq Al-Awsat shortly after his return from the Gaza Strip that his
meetings with Hamas officials put an end to the division between the two
movements and has opened the door to the future and a new spirit of
reconciliation.
Shaath confirmed that he and the [Hamas] movement's leadership exchanged
ideas about reconciliation, unity and measures on the ground.

The Fatah senior official stated that he felt a genuine desire among Hamas
leaders in Gaza to end the current state of division however, he explained
that this does not seem to be the case yet [with regards to Hamas] in
Damascus. "In Gaza, they were positive, honest and willing in progressing
towards signing a reconciliation [document]. But it seems that this does not
yet appeal to Hamas in Damascus."

Nabil Shaath indicated that he proposed signing a reconciliation document to
Hamas before the upcoming Arab Summit is convened in March. He said, "I told
them we must go to the summit reconciled, if not then what will the Arab
summit offer us after the previous summit endorsed Egypt continuing its
efforts towards [inter-Palestinian] reconciliation."

Shaath did not receive an unequivocal answer from Hamas in this regard and
he attributed this to the Hamas leadership in Damascus: "They do not see it
as an urgent matter in Damascus