国际英语新闻：Hamas, Fatah to resume inter-Palestinian talks in Damascus

DAMASCUS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Fatah movement delegation met on Friday with the Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal here to resume inter-Palestinian reconciliation talks between the two rival movements.

Hamas Politburo member Izzat al-Rashiq told Xinhua correspondent that its Movement's media office will publish a political statement that explains the result of the three-hour meeting.

The meeting comes as the fruit of efforts by Mashaal after he met in Saudi Arabia with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who has been instrumental in past efforts by Cairo to end the dispute between the two parties.

Hamas and Fatah have been engaged in a sour power struggle since the Islamic movement swept its rival secular Fatah in legislative elections in 2006.

Last year, Egypt suspended its mediation role, and ties between Cairo and Hamas have deteriorated after Hamas rejected an Egyptian-drafted proposal, raising reservations involving security and elections.