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DAVOS-Abbas: Hamas deal should take less than 3 weeks
<br>Fri 26 Jan 2007 5:30 AM ET
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<br>DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Friday it should take no more than three weeks to reach agreement with Hamas Islamists on forming a national unity government,
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<br>Abbas repeated his threat to call for parliamentary and presidential elections if talks fail, but he did not say three weeks was a deadline for requesting a new ballot.
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<br>"We are at a junction now, either yes or no. I would tell you, this doesn't need more than two weeks, maximum three weeks," Abbas told a news conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
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<br>Palestinian factions resumed talks this week on forming a new coalition with the aim of ending a Western aid embargo on the Hamas administration. Sanctions are designed to force Hamas to recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace deals.
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<br>Similar talks broke down last year between Abbas's Fatah and Hamas, which won elections a year ago.
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<br>"If we fail to achieve a national unity government that allows us to lift the siege, I will call for presidential elections," Abbas said.
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<br>The Palestinian president also said he expects to hold talks with the United States and Israel within a month on the framework for establishing a Palestinian state.
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<br>"I don't have a specific date. Maybe it needs a month, within a month," Abbas said.
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<br>Any agreement reached on the final borders for a Palestinian state, which Abbas said must recognise the pre-1967 borders of Israel, would be sent to a referendum of the Palestinian people, he said.
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