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Rival Palestinian Leaders Hold Reconciliation Talks in Mecca
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1622E02:A6F02AD83191E1603965501CC4C92D039574F7DCC14957C0 Meeting between
Mahmoud Abbas, Ismail Haniyeh aimed at ending deadly power struggle,
forming unity government





Saudi journalists listen to Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail
Haniyeh's live speech on Al Akhbarya channel in Mecca, 7 Feb.
2007Leaders of rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have opened
talks in Saudi Arabia in efforts to end a deadly power struggle and
form a unity government.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, Hamas' exiled political
chief Khaled Mashaal and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh are
meeting in the Muslim holy city of Mecca.

Tuesday, the rival Palestinian leaders met separately with Saudi
Arabia's King Abdullah. The Saudi monarch says he hopes the
Palestinians will reach an agreement to "stop the bloodshed."

Fighting between Hamas and Fatah erupted in December. More than 90
Palestinians have been killed in street battles since then.

Fatah and Hamas have been locked in a power struggle since
parliamentary elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip brought Hamas
to power last year.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.


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