Palestinian gov't denies there are obstacles to form coalition government

The Palestinian government spokesman Ghazi Hamad denied on Thursday there were obstacles on the way to form a coalition government, demanding of "a starting point" to go ahead with the formation.

Hamad made the denial a day after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in the Gaza Strip to discuss the issue with Prime Minister Ismail Haneya and other Palestinian factions.

The spokesman said that the starting point was in the hands of Palestinian President Abbas and the situation was "suitable" for launching talks over forming a new government to replace the incumbent Hamas-led one.

"There is an agreement between the president, the prime minister and the factions that this government would be the beginning of breaking the siege on the Palestinian people," he added.

Meanwhile, Hamad called on unpaid teachers and employees to trim down their protests, saying their protests will slow down efforts to form the coalition government which is designed to " lift the siege and improve economic situation."

Hamad said financial problem would be on the table before Abbas and Haneya who are set to meet later in the day.

On Aug. 17, President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haneya agreed on forming a coalition government to replace incumbent Hamas-led one in a bid to overcome current economic and political crises.

However, Haneya outlined three conditions for forming the coalition the next day -- releasing Hamas ministers and lawmakers jailed in Israeli prisons, ending international boycott against the Hamas government and nominating a prime minister from Hamas.

Hamas, which overwhelmingly won the January legislative elections, failed to form a national coalition government and had alone formed the current Hamas-led cabinet in late March.

Source: Xinhua