Official: Elections in Egypt will not affect reconciliation

The Egyptian ambassador to the Palestinian Authority said Sunday that the political situation in Egypt will not affect the country's role in facilitating reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. Yasser Othman told Ma'an that Egypt is committed to reconciliation between the rival political factions. "The key to the success of reconciliation and the forming of the new government was firstly about agreeing that Abbas would direct the new government and second, setting up the responsibilities of this government," he said. President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal will meet June 20 in Cairo, a Fatah official said Wednesday. Senior Hamas official Ahmad Yousef said Sunday that the meeting between party leaders to finalize the government members had deliberately been pushed back until after Egypt votes on June 16 and 17. "We are mainly interested in stability in Egypt regardless of who takes power, yet Mursi will be helpful for us and for the Palestinian people," Yousef said. Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation treaty in Cairo in May 2011 and agreed to form a government of technocrats to oversee elections.