Palestinian militant group Hamas has contacts with Al-Qaida, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Wednesday, adding that this was not the result of Western pressure to isolate the movement.

Kouchner was reacting to comments by Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema this week, who said the West's policy of isolating Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip last month, could push it into the arms of Al-Qaida.

"I think Hamas did not wait for this extreme situation - the current terrible situation in Gaza - to have contacts with Al-Qaida. And it would perhaps be too simple to think that we, the international community, are responsible," Kouchner said.

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Kouchner, who was speaking at a news conference, did not elaborate.

Deposed Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, has denied that Al-Qaida is present in the Gaza Strip. "There is no Al-Qaida in the Gaza Strip and talk of Gaza becoming a foothold for Al-Qaida is an invitation to international hostilities," Haniyeh said recently.

On Tuesday, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said Hamas is a "significant and substantial" part of the Palestinian people.

D'Alema expressed fears that isolating Islamic groups like Hezbollah and Hamas will push them towards international terror network Al-Qaida.

"Hamas has carried out terror attacks, but it is also a ground roots movement," he said.

"Not recognizing the government elected democratically is not exactly a lesson in democracy, and pushing such a group into the hands of Al-Qaida is not in the international committee's interest."