国际英语新闻：Abbas, int'l elders group discuss peace, inter-reconciliation

RAMALLAH, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday met with the International Elders Group and discussed with them the stalled peace process and achieving the inter-Palestinian reconciliation.

Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath told a joint news conference after the meeting, which was held in the West Bank city of Ramallah, that Abbas briefed the elders' delegation on the latest developments related to the stalled peace process with Israel.

The delegation included former Irish President Mary Robinson, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and two others.

Shaath said that the delegation backed the Palestinian stance that called for halting the Jewish settlement and ending Gaza blockade.

Meanwhile, Carter told reporters that the question of reconciliation between Abbas's Fatah party and its rival Islamic Hamas movement "was also discussed with Abbas and was discussed earlier with the Egyptians."

Robinson also told reporters that the delegation visited the Gaza Strip, Syria, Egypt, Jordan and West Bank, adding that the delegation will also visit East Jerusalem and will meet with Palestinians living in Israel.

Asked about if a prisoners' swap deal between Hamas and Israel is imminent, Robinson said that the delegation discussed the issue with Hamas in both Gaza and Damascus.

"Hamas leaders told us that they hope they finalize the deal as immediate as possible, but they said that the problem is at the Israeli side," she said.

Carter had earlier told a news conference in Damascus that " Hamas must be part of the current peace process," expressing that the efforts exerted by the United States to achieve peace "are not so far active."