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Hamas leader says U.S. blocking Palestinian unity

Mon Feb 8, 2010 6:40pm GMT
 

* Shunned by West, Meshaal gets a hearing in Moscow

* Blames outside forces for stalled unity efforts

* Sees no chance of peace under Israel's leadership

By Steve Gutterman

MOSCOW, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Monday accused the United States of undermining Palestinian unity efforts and said he saw no chance for peace in the Middle East under Israel's current leadership.

Shunned in the West because his Islamist group refuses to recognise Israel -- a position he said stands -- Meshaal used a hospitable Russia as a platform to blame Washington and Israel's hardline government for a lack of progress.

His remarks underscored barriers on the road to Palestinian reconciliation and to renewing Middle East peace talks.

Hamas wants a reconciliation deal with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' rival Fatah movement "as fast as possible", Meshaal told a news conference after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who invited him to Moscow.   Continued...

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