A Palestinian mediator announced on Thursday that President Mahmoud Abbas will meet Hamas' politburo chief Khaled Mashaal when Abbas visits Syria in the coming couple of days.

Independent Maan news agency quoted Ziad Abu Amr, the mediator, as denying that the mediation efforts to hold the meeting reached deadlock.

Abu Amr, who is also a lawmaker, is in Damascus these days in an effort to push the governing Hamas and rival Fatah agree to form a unity government and end their power struggle.

A coalition government is also sought to lift international sanctions imposed on the Hamas-led government which rejects to meet the demands of Quartet.

The Middle East Quartet demands Hamas to recognize Israel and abide by peace deals after renouncing violence.

Meanwhile, Hamas has announced readiness to join a meeting aimed at cooling the atmosphere with Fatah in Gaza ahead of launching a new round of unity government talks.
 
The Hamas position was declared after a delegation from the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) met with Hamas leaders in Gaza as part of the mediation moves.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2007)