PLO official denies forming coalition gov't within 10 days

Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), denied on Saturday earlier reports that a national coalition government will be formed within 10 days.

The denial came after the PLO Executive Committee held a meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah, chaired by Mahmoud Abbas.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman of Abbas' headquarters, told reporters earlier that Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haneya held a meeting in Gaza, and a coalition government will be formed within 10 days.

"The statements are untrue and it is an exaggerated optimism that expresses good intention rather than facts on the ground," Abed Rabbo told reporters following the meeting in Ramallah.

"Every statement about forming a coalition government is totally untrue, because the Hamas movement is still rejecting basic political principles on which a coming coalition government should depend," he said.

"Hamas is still standing behind its position that rejects the political platform of President Mahmoud Abbas, an Arab peace initiative and agreements signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization," he said.

Source: Xinhua