Efforts to form a Palestinian unity government acceptable to the West have gone "back to zero," Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday, while a senior Hamas lawmaker denied reports that negotiations had all but collapsed.

The lawmaker, Mushir al-Masri, said any differences between the parties aired in the media "can be resolved at the negotiating table and in direct dialogue".

Al-Masri also rejected the conditions laid down by the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators: recognition of Israel, renouncing violence and accepting previous signed agreements between the Palestinians and Israel.

	Advertisement

Abbas' remarks came a day after Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh from the Islamic militant Hamas group declared that he would not lead a coalition that recognizes Israel.

The PA chairman's Fatah Party and Hamas had agreed earlier this month in principle to form a national unity government, having made a deal that said the government would seek to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel, thereby implying recognition of it.

On Thursday Abbas addressed the United Nations, saying a national unity government would recognize Israel.

In Cairo Saturday, he told journalists following talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that "backtracking" had taken place on the negotiations.

"Sadly, we are back to zero," he said.

This "backtracking" weakened his position at the UN, Abbas said, explaining his failure to obtain a commitment for relaunching the peace process.

"The United States and European countries didn't see in any of such situations what help build a national unity government," Abbas said of his meetings at the UN.

The Hamas lawmaker stressed that rifts within the Palestinian camp would have to be mended before dealing with obligations placed on it from outside.

"What is important is the Palestinian-Palestinian agreement and not satisfying American demands," al-Masri said.

Hamas has ruled alone since March, but this month agreed to share power with Abbas' relatively moderate Fatah Party in hopes of ending a crippling international aid boycott of the Palestinian Authority.

Abbas denied Saturday that secret talks were held between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

"I wish there were unannounced negotiations," he said, indicating his hopes for the resumption of talks and his preference that they take place away from the public's view until they start to yield results.

Asked about possible meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Abbas said, "We are ready to meet anytime and anywhere without conditions."