Hamas political bureau chief visits Sudan Sunday

Feb 11, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Khalid Mashal, political bureau chief of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), is to start a visit to Khartoum on Sunday after the group’s landslide election victory, the state-run SUNA reported.

Mashal, who is based in the Syrian capital Damascus, will head a Hamas delegation to Sudan and is scheduled to hold a series of talks with Sudanese officials and the political forces during the three-day visit, the report said.

Meanwhile, Gamal Mohamed Ibrahim, spokesman of the Sudanese Foreign Ministry, told a press conference held here on Saturday that Sudan would respect the results of last month’s Palestinian parliamentary elections, in which Hamas scored an overwhelming victory.

“Sudan stands on the side of the Palestinian people’s choice”, the spokesman said.

He also noted that the Palestinian National Authority has played an important role on the path of realizing peace and safeguarding the Palestinian people’s rights.

After winning the 25 January parliamentary polls, Hamas is expected to from the next Palestinian government.

The group, sworn to Israel’s destruction, has been under mounting pressures to renounce violence, recognize the existence of Israel and accept previous Palestinian agreements with Israel including the internationally-backed road map peace plan.

Hamas leaders have said that the group will visit regional Arab countries to explain its position and seek support.

Hamas, listed as a terrorist group by the U.S. and the EU, is expected to form a new Palestinian cabinet later this month after the inauguration of the Palestinian Legislative Council on 16 February.

(ST/Xinhua)