Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hinted on Thursday that he favors a technocratic government after talks on national unity government have hit a dead end. Abbas made the remarks in a joint news conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the West Bank city of Jericho. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    RAMALLAH, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hinted on Thursday that he favors a technocratic government after talks on national unity government have hit a dead end.

    Abbas made the remarks in a joint news conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the West Bank city of Jericho.

    He told the reporters that he will consider his options in the coming few days as "we could not succeed or reach our goal which was a unity government able to take off and deal with the international community."

    "Independents and geniuses can be found among Fatah, Hamas and all sectors of our people," Abbas said, ruling out a civil war between the Palestinians.

    He, meanwhile, expressed his disappointment over the failure of the coalition talks, saying "since nine months, our people have been suffering the lack of salaries and resources."

    "If we have succeeded and formed a unity government that understands international resolutions and deal with the world, we would have been able to lift siege on our people," he added.

    Abbas said that he had discussed current ceasefire in Gaza with Rice and expressed hope the calm extends to reach the West Bank. "Enforcing the truce will pave the way to return back to the peace process in the Middle East."

    Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's recent speech was a positive development since it called for peace, but "Israel continues its policy of settlement expansion on the Palestinian land which has been gnawing day after day", Abbas said, reminding that many Palestinians are living in hard circumstances in Israeli prisons.

    Olmert said Monday that Israel is ready to free the Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel in exchange for the return of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, local Ha'aretz said.

    "We would like to pull out from considerable Palestinian territory and dismantle settlements in exchange for a real peace with the Palestinians," said Olmert.

    The remarks was regarded as a major policy speech following a vulnerable truce was reached between Israel and the Palestinians, which went into effect on Sunday, ending a five-month Israeli military offensive in Gaza in the wake of the abduction of Shalit.

    For her part, Rice shared the same hopes with Abbas. She thanked Abbas for efforts he exerted with the Palestinian factions to form a new government and hailed his supportive position regarding the fresh ceasefire deal with Israel.

    Rice promised to act with Abbas and the Israelis to ease the hardship of the Palestinians, especially in the Gaza Strip.

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    Abbas says Palestinian unity gov't talks at "dead end"

    RAMALLAH, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that talks to form a national unity government had reached a "dead end", following talks with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in West Bank city of Jericho, reported al-Jazeera TV channel.

    "Our people have been suffering for nine months the lack of salaries and resources. Unfortunately, we could not succeed or reach our goal which was a unity government able to take off and deal with the international community," Abbas said during a joint press conference with Rice.

    The Palestinian president also said that he lamented the difficulties surrounding efforts to form a joint government between the Palestinians' current Hamas rulers and his own Fatah party.

    "We have discussed our efforts to form a national unity government. We have exerted efforts ... but unfortunately we have hit a dead end," Abbas added.

    Abbas hinted that he favors a technocratic government, saying, "Independents and geniuses can be found among Fatah, Hamas and all sectors of our people."

    Meanwhile, Abbas told reporters he had discussed current cease-fire in Gaza with Rice, expressing hopes that calm would extend to the West Bank.

    "Enforcing the truce will pave the way to return back to the peace process in the Middle East," Abbas said.

    For her part, Rice said the U.S. hoped to accelerate efforts to

    find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to extend the scope of a recently declared cease-fire between the two sides.

    She also said that the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories, including what she called "humiliations" must be eased.

    On Nov. 26, a vulnerable truce between Israel and the Palestinians has been taken into effect, ending a five-month Israeli military offensive in Gaza.

    One day after the cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert said for the first time Israel was ready to free jailed Palestinians, including long-serving prisoners, if a captive soldier Gilad Shalit was released.

    Rice's meeting with Abbas was part of the ongoing U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region.

    On Thursday morning, visiting U.S. President George W. Bush had met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Amman, Jordan, discussing ways to curb the violence in the war-wracked country.

    Rice is also expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert later Thursday in Jerusalem.