Rice, Abbas discuss his remarks on Hamas

WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has not altered his position for engaging in talks with Hamas, the U.S. State Department said Thursday.

Abbas, during a speech, urged the resumption of talks with Hamas, which controls Gaza, and spoke of his desire to restore national unity. If talks with Hamas were successful, Abbas said he would call for legislative and presidential elections.

But U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke with Abbas, and "he quite clearly reiterated in his remarks, as well as during the conversation with the secretary, that his conditions for any discussion with Hamas have not changed," said department spokesman Sean McCormack.

The conditions include Hamas reversing its coup in Gaza and recognizing Fatah as leading the Palestinian government, McCormack said.

McCormack said Rice didn't call Abbas specifically on his remarks.

"It was one of these calls where periodically she checks in with President Abbas to get his take on where the discussions between the Israelis and Palestinians stand," he said.