Special report: Internal situation in Palestine

¡¡¡¡GAZA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian rival factions agreed to form a national unity government in the near future, the local Mann news agency reported on Saturday.

    The ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) will keep Prime Minister Ismail Haneya in his post while giving rival Fatah three key portfolios of information, foreign affairs and finance, the report said.

    The interior minister would be commissioned to an independent figure, it added.

    None of the groups confirmed or denied the report.

    Meanwhile, sources close to President Mahmoud Abbas revealed that Abbas may meet with Khaled Mashaal, chief of Hamas Politburo exiled in Syria, during his visit to Damascus in the coming days.

    The sources also said that inter-Palestinian talks would be resumed this week.

    Hamas and Fatah had engaged in talks for several months in an effort to form a coalition, but such efforts failed due to differences over sharing of key cabinet posts.

    In spite of rejection by Hamas, Abbas has called for early presidential and parliamentary elections to settle differences with Hamas which took office in March.

    For its part, Hamas called for resuming talks and forming a coalition government.