Hamas confident it can form government, control security

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http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=22057

Hamas confident it can form government, control security
Egypt put no conditions on the group


Compiled by Daily Star staff
Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Hamas leaders expressed confidence Tuesday they will be able to form a Palestinian government and expected to control several security agencies once it heads a new administration. Kicking off an international tour in Cairo, Hamas' top political leader, Khaled Meshaal, and other officials from the movement met with the head of the Arab League and a top aide of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in talks on a formula for drawing up a government after Hamas' landslide victory in Parliament elections last month.

"I am convinced that thanks to our meetings in Arab and Muslim countries ... we will be able to reach a common vision allowing us to preserve Palestinian rights whilst demonstrating realism," Meshaal told reporters after talks with League chief Amr Moussa.

Egyptian officials have said they will urge Hamas to moderate its anti-Israeli stances in an attempt to prevent a collapse of the peace process with Israel.

But Meshaal told reporters that Egypt had "put no conditions on Hamas" in their talks with Mubarak aide Osama al-Baz Tuesday and Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman the night before.

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