Last update - 00:00 14/07/2007
Abbas meets Jordan-based members of Palestine National Council
By The Associated Press
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met Saturday with members of the Palestine National Council who live in Jordan to brief them on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena.
The Palestine National Council is the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization. It elects the group's central council, which assumes leadership of the organization between its sessions.
We explained all the Palestinian situation ... and what we expect in the meetings of the central council, Abbas told reporters after the meeting.
The chief of the Palestinian mission to Jordan, Atta Khairy, told The Associated Press that Abbas informed them that the central council of the Palestine Liberation Organization will meet in the West Bank town of Ramallah
on July 18.
The council normally gathers every two years.
Khairy said Abbas also discussed with the Jordan-based members a meeting of the full Palestine National Council as soon as possible.
Abbas' meeting with the Palestine National Council comes as his Fatah movement is in a standoff with the militant Hamas group, which took over the Gaza Strip last month.
During Saturday's meeting, Abbas said Qatar, Syria and Iran knew about the violent takeover before it occurred, said a council member in attendance.
The Palestinian president said one of the countries approved of Hamas' actions, but did not specify which one, according to the council member, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Prior to entering the meeting, Abbas told reporters that he had no plans to change his current refusal to hold talks with Hamas.
There are no arrangements for any dialogue if they (Hamas) don't retract from what they have committed, he said.