Date: 30 / 06 / 2009 Time: 20:05

Bethlehem – Ma’an – Members of the Fatah delegation to Cairo Drs Nabil Sha’th
and Zakaria Al-Agha announced the close of the sixth round of unity talks in
Cairo on Tuesday, and said a new round was set for 25 July and an agreement
on the 28th.

For the past month sources have cited 7 July as the Egyptian-imposed
deadline on its mediated unity talks, and real pressure was said to have
been put on sides to reach a deal this time. Only three days after they
began, however, the unity talks appear closed.

The state-sponsored Wafa news agency quoted both leaders as saying the
second round of talks would be concluded by the signing of a unity document
on 28 July. Earlier, officials said a unity document would be signed based
on the outcome of talks up to 7 July.

Dr Sha’th said Egypt would give a final chance to Hamas and Fatah, who were
participating in bilateral talks, which members of other factions not
included condemned as a “clan negotiation,” rather than a process fostering
national unity.

All Sha’th said about the sixth round was that talks were “exciting” but
that sides had not reached an acceptable solution.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR