RAMALLAH, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haneya said on Sunday that mutual trust and cooperation should be expanded between Hamas and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in solving political differences.

    Haneya, whose Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) won a landslide victory in last month's parliamentary elections, said PNA President Mahmoud Abbas has been a respected leader and Hamas will make efforts for him to successfully keep on with his duty.

    Abbas, elected as PNA president in January 2005 for a four-yearterm, has hinted he would resign if peace talks with Israel remain stalled.

    He was quoted by Britain's ITV network as saying in an interview that "we could reach a point where I cannot perform my duty. Then, I will not continue sitting in this place, against andin spite of my convictions."

    However, Haneya hoped Abbas to stay on and said political differences could be overcome through "trust and close cooperation."

    He added that relations between his government and the PNA feature mutual respect, understanding, cooperation and dialogue. Enditem