Hamas said Thursday that a statement by the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators backing effort to form a Palestinian unity government was an encouraging sign that could lead to the easing of a Western aid embargo.

The Quartet on Wednesday welcomed efforts to create a unity government, despite the fact that its platform regarding Israel remains unclear.

"The decision by the Quartet... is a progressive position, and we hope that this position will contribute to stopping all forms of political and economic siege," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

	Advertisement

Ahmed Youssef, political adviser to Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, said the Quartet statement showed new "political flexibility and understanding."

The United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations said in a joint statement: "The Quartet welcomes the efforts of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to form a government of national unity, in the hope that the platform of such a government would reflect Quartet principles and allow for early engagement."

They also agreed to extend and expand a temporary international mechanism to channel aid to the Palestinians bypassing the existing Hamas-led government and encouraged Israel to hand over some $500 million in tax and customs revenues it is withholding from the Palestinians.

The statement, endorsed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, mirrored almost word for word an EU statement last week. UN and European diplomats said it represented a significant easing of the United States' stance toward the Palestinian Authority since Hamas took it over this year.

Rice played down talk of a U.S. shift, telling reporters: "If indeed there is going to be a government which is able to govern, it is going to need the support of the international community and it needs to be committed to peace."

European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said she wanted to see the temporary aid mechanism expanded "as much as we can" to ease the economic hardship among Palestinians.

The Quartet also endorsed a move by Annan to revive the role of former World Bank president James Wolfensohn to report on the economic and humanitarian situation on the ground.

Wolfensohn quit in April in disagreement with the decision to cut all but humanitarian aid to the Hamas-led government.

Abbas: Palestinians want peace
Abbas on Wednesday told President George W. Bush that the Palestinian people want peace, adding that nothing would stop them from moving toward that goal.

"The Palestinian people desire peace, and there is no power on Earth that can prevent the Palestinian people from moving toward the peaceful solution and living and coexisting in peace," Abbas said.

"We will always be faithful and truthful to peace, and we will not disappoint you," he added.

The leading Palestinian party Hamas, however, is sworn to Israel's destruction and has rebuffed international demands to recognize Israel and renounce violence, Abbas said,

Bush described Abbas on Wednesday as "a man of peace" who can help advance peace talks that stalled after Hamas swept into power during the January elections.

Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Abbas told Bush, "We are in dire need of your help and support."

The meeting came while the two leaders were in New York to attend the General Assembly. In a speech there Tuesday, Bush said achieving peace in the Middle East was one of the great objectives of his presidency.

"I fully understand that in order to achieve this vision there must be leaders willing to speak out and act on behalf of people who yearn for peace," Bush said at the end of his meeting with Abbas when reporters were invited in. "And you are such a leader, Mr. President."

The American administration wants to continue bolstering Abbas, but at this stage it has not announced a new policy regarding the PA and is waiting until the new Palestinian government has been formed.