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Palestinian President Supports Fatah Joining Unity Government

Posted on: Wednesday, 1 March 2006, 03:02 CST

Text of report by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 28 February

[Presenter] Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has said that he supports the formation of a national unity government with the participation of the Fatah Movement. However, in an exclusive interview with Al-Jazeera Television, which will be aired later, Abbas said that this government should be formed on certain bases.

[Abbas - recording, in progress] The wider the participation we have the better. This is a principle which I support. However, when we want to be partners in a particular issue or action, we should ask this question: On what basis should we be partners? This is a possible question. It would not be reasonable to participate on the basis of the number of seats received. I do not believe that this reasoning is instrumental or is the basis of national partnership. National partnership should be built on a certain ground. By this I do not mean that opinions should match, but they should meet at sensitive points so that participation becomes possible. If we do not have these meeting points, this is not the end of the world.

The Hamas Movement has an obvious majority at the Palestinian Legislative Council, and so it can form a government. This is my point of view. In other words, I support the principle of participation. However, any negotiating party from Hamas or Fatah would ask about the basis [of this participation]. Should this question be answered, there would be no problem then. [End of recording]

[Presenter] Meanwhile, Abbas said that he would give the next government security powers that he requested for himself when he was a prime minister.

[Abbas - recording, in progress] I will give Hamas what I requested from the late President Yasir Arafat for myself. The three security agencies; namely, preventive security, police forces and civil services are affiliated with the Interior Ministry. National security, however, is under the control of the president. I was calling for coordination of action and having one body to control these forces so as to ensure internal and external security. Then, we can prevent violations that occur here and there. I was not able to have this request fulfilled. I told Hamas that I will transfer the national security powers to it because I cannot deprive it of what I myself asked for.

[Video shows Abbas speaking to Al-Jazeera presenter Muhammad Kurayshan]

Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile

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