Continued conflict between Hamas and the PA

In the course of its attempt to control internal conditions in the Palestinian house and confrontation of the consequences of nominating the secretary of the Palestine National liberation movement ( Fatah) Mustafa al-Barghouthi for the Palestinian Presidency, the leaderships of the Palestinian authority held sudden and quick discussions with the leaderships of the Hamas movement which announced earlier its boycott of the elections.

Sources in Hamas said that the sudden meeting comes in the course of preparations for a series of meetings which will be launched during the two coming days between Hamas and Fatah and other Palestinian groups in order to complete the already started dialogue.

The movement's leading figure Mahmoud al-Zahhar sad that the meeting will discuss the possibility of reaching a document of honor and a comprehensive national reference to control the conditions on the Palestinian arena, noting that Hamas will discuss all issues, giving no further details.

Meantime, and in the course of the Spanish support for the Palestinian Authority after the demise of Arafat, Spain stressed by its foreign minister Miguel Moratinos that it will give all possible support for the Palestinian presidential elections due in January 2005, including the participation in the international monitoring of the electoral process.

Moratinos who visited the Palestinian leaderships in Ramullah vowed to provide financial support for the Palestinians during 2005. He expressed his hope that the results of the elections are in the interests of the Palestinian people and the Middle East peace process.