GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement's spokesman Fawzi Barhoum confirmed Wednesday evening that the Palestinian factions have reached in Cairo an agreement on forming a transitional unity government.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal attends a meeting with parliament members from Greece and Italy in Damascus March 18, 2009. Islamic Hamas movement's spokesman Fawzi Barhoum confirmed Wednesday evening that the Palestinian factions have reached in Cairo an agreement on forming a transitional unity government. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Barhoum, who is currently in Cairo, said in a statement sent to reporters that Palestinian conferees in Cairo have agreed on forming a transitional accordance government that prepares for holding elections before the end of the year.

    Earlier in the day, Egypt's official MENA news agency quoted Wasel Abu-Youssef, the Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF), as saying that the higher supervision and guidance committee agreed that the would-be government "be a transitional national unity one."

    The mission of the proposed government will end with the holding of Palestinian legislative elections before Jan. 25, 2010,said Abu-Youssef.

    Leaders of 13 Palestinian factions have been holding intensive dialogue on controversial issues related to forming a government, security, elections, reconciliation and reforming the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

    "We agreed in the nature of the upcoming government. The deal is to form a temporary transitional accordance unity government and work on preparing for the upcoming elections," said Barhoum.

    However, he said the conferees in Cairo "are still debating the political platform of this government and its ministerial structure." The debates are still focus on whether Hamas respects or abide by the PLO commitments.

    Barhoum clarified that the highest steering committee of the dialogue continued its sessions and debates in Cairo "with seriousness and concerns on all issues were conveyed by the five committees of the dialogue."

    "The highest committee has limited the points the conferees agreed upon and the points they disagreed upon, mainly the security issues, the forming of the government and the elections," said Barhoum. 

Hamas leader: Palestinians need more talks on future gov't

    Representatives of Palestinian factions attending an inter-Palestinian national unity talks in Cairo are still at odds on the would-be government and its political programs, deputy chief of Hamas' political bureau Mousa Abu-Marzouq said in an interview with the Egyptian TV.  Full story

Faction leader: Palestinian committee agrees on "transitional" unity gov't

    CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A guidance committee of the Palestinian national unity dialogue has agreed on the nature of the government to be "transitional," a Palestinian faction leader said here Wednesday.

    The higher supervision and guidance committee agreed that the would-be government "be a transitional national unity one," said Wasel Abu-Youssef, the Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF), quoted by Egypt's official MENA news agency.  Full story

Hamas lawmaker: six obstacles delay Palestinian unity agreement

    GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Hamas lawmaker on Wednesday revealed that six obstacles have prevented the Palestinian negotiators from declaring a reconciliation agreement in the first round of talks that ended this week.

    Mushier al-Massri, a Gaza-based Hamas legislator, said the main obstacle was that the sought government must accept the international demands of recognizing Israel.  Full story