RAMALLAH, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Wednesday to intensify coordination with Egypt to launch an inter-comprehensive Palestinian dialogue as soon as possible.

    The state-run official news agency "Wafa" reported that earlier on Wednesday in Ramallah Abbas had chaired a meeting of a committee which prepares for national dialogue to follow up the national dialogue among Palestinian factions.

    Abbas told the committee that it is important to continue coordination with Cairo "to launch the national dialogue in accordance to the last Arab Summit decisions and the Yemeni initiative of reconciliation among the Palestinians." .

    After the meeting, the committee said in a statement that it welcomes any Arab initiative to end the status of inter-Palestinian division.

    Egypt is preparing for hosting a Palestinian national dialogue conference in the next few weeks to help restore Palestinian unity.A Hamas delegation from the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip arrived in Egypt on Tuesday for talks with Egyptian mediators.

    Ties between Abbas Fatah movement and rival Islamic Hamas movement were severed after the latter took control of the Gaza Strip by force in mid June last year and ousted Abbas security forces from Gaza.

    Following Hamas takeover of Gaza, Abbas sacked the national unity government headed by Hamas leader Ismail Haneya. The Gaza Strip became under full Hamas control, while the West Bank remained under Abbas' control.

    Yemen presented an initiative of reconciliation between Abbas' party and Hamas. The initiative, which was approved by the last Arab League summit held in Damascus in March, called on Hamas to end its Gaza control.

    The Yemeni initiative also called for reconstructing the Palestinian security apparatuses in Gaza and the West Bank, forming an independent government and preparing for early presidential and legislative elections.

    Both Hamas and Abbas said they accept the Yemeni initiative, however, Abbas wants the initiative to be immediately implemented, while Hamas wanted to negotiate the initiative before implementing it.