Turkish PM meets Hamas leader

ANKARA

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) welcomes his guest, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, during the Turkish ruling party's congress in Ankara on Sept 30, 2012. REUTERS photo

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sat down with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Ankara on Feb. 18, urging the Palestinian leader to continue the reconciliation process between his movement and Fatah without interruption, TRT has reported.

Mashaal briefed Erdoğan about the recent developments in the reconciliation process between the two Palestinian factions, which signed a deal in 2011 but never implemented the protocols.

The conflict between Hamas and Fatah has yet to be settled due to disagreements over power distribution in any potential national coalition government that would be formed, as well as the status of Gaza, which is currently under the control of Hamas.

On the other hand, Israel and Hamas have recently been holding indirect talks on easing the blockade on the Palestinian enclave under the terms of a truce deal reached last year, Channel 2 television reported on Feb. 15.