Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is currently in Gaza announced on Thursday that he had agreed with Prime Minister Ismail Haneya on a plan to free a captive British Journalist in Gaza.

Alan Johnston, 44, a reporter for the BBC Radio in Gaza was abducted 25 days ago by unknown Palestinian gunmen. No one has claimed responsibility and there is no exact news on his whereabouts.

Abbas said he agreed with Haneya and Interior Minister Hani al- Qawasmi on the final touches to help free the kidnapped BBC reporter.

"I have come to Gaza to work on releasing the captive British correspondent," Abbas told tens of Palestinian journalists demonstrating in front of his office to protest the kidnap.

"We have put final touches to release the journalist," Abbas said after he met Haneya and the interior minister.

On Wednesday, Abbas received a call from British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and discussed efforts to free Johnston.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Haneya on Thursday met with British Consul-General Richard Makepeace in Gaza Strip in the first such meeting between Haneya and a British diplomat.

The meeting was limited to talks on Johnston and did not reflect a shift in the British policy that refuses to deal with Hamas officials, according to the British side.

Source: Xinhua