Rice says Hamas remains terrorist group

Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Saturday that Washington still regards the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) as a terrorist group and will not deal with it.

"The United States doesn't have any contacts with Hamas because it is a terrorist organization," Rice told a joint news conference with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

She said the United States will not have contact with a terrorist organization like Hamas, "because there is an elected president and a Palestinian government that represents the Palestinian people."

When asked whether Washington will deal with Hamas if it wins in the parliamentary election and becomes part of the leadership, Rice said the United States still considers Hamas as a terrorist group and it only deals with elected Abbas.

Rice's remarks came after Hamas has recently announced that it has held constant contacts with the European Union, which, like Washington, lists Hamas as a terrorist group.

However, Abbas told reporters that the Palestinian democratic process opens its door to all factions, on condition that they be committed to laws and regulations the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) adopts.

"We are very much interested and we work on having one unified authority, one law, one gun and one political variety," said Abbas.

Pledging support for Abbas' reforms in security and administration sections, Rice also called for more efforts to be made in this respect.

"What has been achieved so far is good, but more measures are needed to end terrorism and security chaos," she said.

Hamas, a radical Islamic militant group, has emerged with more political clout after it put up a strong showing in the local elections.

With a surging street popularity, Hamas also poses a tough challenge to the ruling Fatah movement led by Abbas in the parliamentary elections.

At the press conference, Abbas reiterated the Palestinian commitment to a de facto truce with Israel, declared by the two sides at a summit in February.

"We reiterated to Rice our commitments towards the truce and towards the continuation of the democratic process," Abbas said.

Meanwhile, Rice urged Israel and the Palestinians to coordinate Israel's pullout from Gaza and part of the West Bank due in mid- August.

"It is necessary for both sides to play its role if this will help to achieve an organized, peaceful and safe withdrawal from Gaza," said Rice.

"I spoke with the Palestinians on the importance of this subject and will talk to the Israelis about it," the top US diplomat said.

"The withdrawal from Gaza is not the end, but it is a step towards a solution and towards the establishment of a viable Palestinian state living side by side with Israel," she said.

In response, Abbas said "the Palestinian side is committed to coordinating the implementation of the Israeli plan in order to guarantee a clean and complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank."

However, Abbas urged Rice to exert pressure on Israel to stop settlement activities and the construction of the separation wall in the West Bank as well as ending closures and removing all roadblocks.

"The continuation of the Israeli violations to the truce and delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners will not only affect the truce, but also have an impact on the entire peace process," said Abbas.

Rice began a Mideast tour on Saturday to boost coordination between the Palestinians and Israel over the Israeli withdrawal from all 21 settlements in Gaza and four of 120 in the West Bank set to start on Aug. 15.

After meeting with Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Rice will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem on Sunday.

The two will discuss Hamas' participation in the upcoming Palestinian legislative elections.

After her trip to the Palestinian territories and Israel, Rice will head on to Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Source: Xinhua