Syria supports formation of Palestinian unity government: FM

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al- Muallem on Tuesday underlined Syria's support to the Qatari efforts regarding the formation of a Palestinian national unity government, the official SANA news agency reported.

Muallem made the remarks in a telephone conversation with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Hamad Ben Jassem al-Thani during which Sheikh Hamad briefed Muallem his latest visit to Gaza and the communications with the Palestinian side on the unity government. Earlier in the day, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)-led Palestinian government confirmed that it didn't agree with Qatar on two articles of its six-point initiative to settle differences among the Palestinians.

However, Qatar's mediation efforts were still ongoing and the Qatari foreign minister was concerned in pushing the idea of a Palestinian national unity government that could be accepted by the United States and Europe.

The Qatari foreign minister visited the Palestinian territories Monday night, and held separate meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haneya, discussing with them the formation of a Palestinian national unity government.

Source: Xinhua