Ismael Haneya, a senior Hamas leader, announced on Saturday that the militant group agreed with President Mahmoud Abbas to hold the first session of the newly elected Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC, parliament) on Feb. 16.

Haneya said that after the first PLC session, Hamas would select a person whom Abbas would ask to form the new cabinet.

Haneya told reporters the agreement was reached during a two-hour meeting between a Hamas delegation and Abbas in the presidential offices in Gaza City.

Four senior Hamas officials, including Haneya and Mahmoud al-Zahar, held their first meeting with Abbas since the hardline movement won a surprise victory in the legislative elections on Jan. 25, in which Hamas gained 74 of 132 PLC seats.

Haneya added that as soon as Abbas asked the movement to form the cabinet, it started consultations with various Palestinian political powers including the former ruling Fatah movement on the formation of the cabinet.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud al-Zahar said that he and Haneya would head on Sunday to Cairo to hold talks with the Egyptian officials on forming the new cabinet.

He denied reports that Abbas would ask Hamas leaders to respect the previous agreements which the PNA signed with Israel, saying that the issue was not raised in the meeting.

Israel and the Middle East Quartet grouping the US, the UN., the European Union and Russia have said they will not deal with a future Palestinian government containing Hamas unless the group renounces violence, recognizes Israel's right to exist and accepts agreements between PNA and Israel including the roadmap plan for peace.

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2006)