Cairo hosted a two-hour meeting yesterday among Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal. They discussed the latest developments concerning Egypt's efforts to reconcile the Palestinian factions and reach a united Palestinian stance paving the way for serious negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and reviving the peace process. They also discussed the efforts to maintain the ceasefire and the reconstruction of Gaza. After this announced meeting, Abbas, Faisal and Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit held a 30-minute unannounced meeting behind closed doors. Following this meeting, Aboul Gheit and Faisal left Cairo for Abu Dhabi. Palestinian Ambassador to Cairo Nabil Amr said the visit to Abu Dhabi had nothing to do with the three-party meeting, pointing out that the visit to Abu Dhabi had already scheduled. Talking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, he said the meeting had also assessed the political situation, especially after the visit of US envoy George Mitchell to the region and the positive indications after Barack Obama took office as new US President. He affirmed the meeting had also discussed the joint Arab work in the future and reiterated that the Arab Peace Initiative must be the basis of such work. He also said the meeting had dealt with the Palestinian dialogue and national reconciliation. He said Minister Omar Suleiman and Aboul Gheit had given an update on the efforts to implement the Egyptian Initiative and on what is expected in the near future. They had also affirmed that Egypt would push ahead with the dialogue and the reconciliation within the timetable it has set. "Hamas must commit to the Egyptian paper, which is fundamental to improve the situation. The battle in Gaza is not over yet. Israel has included it in the electoral agenda, which means that danger is coming" Amr said. Dr. Nabil Sha'ath, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Committee, said progress had been made in the Egyptian talks to reach a truce. He also added that disputes were limited and revolved around the duration of the truce and the guarantees to open the border crossings. He added the main problem concerned the border crossings, pointing out that Israel has closed them all, does not let food into the Gaza Strip and is still suffocating the Palestinian people. He described the Israeli blockade as unbearable. "We can't go back to the negotiating table while the borders are kept closed and settlements still stand. This would make the peace process useless and would turn it into a tool to torture us" he said. Mohamed Nasr, member of Hamas political bureau, said his movement is expected to hold talks with Minister Omar Suleiman today in Cairo to discuss the truce, open the crossings and lift the blockade. He refused to give any detail about the movement's response to Egypt's proposals about starting the truce on February 5. "We'll discuss this issue with Minister Suleiman" he said. He affirmed the delegation members would be the same who had taken part in Cairo talks since the start of Israel's military operations against the Gaza Strip. Palestinian sources close to the talks expected Hamas to accept Egypt's proposals concerning the truce. "Hamas doesn't object to the truce being for a year or 18 months, provided that it is for a determined period of time" they said.
