Hamas leader: No prospects for talks

MOSCOW, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Khaled Meshaal, leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, says there's no prospect of successful peace talks with Israel.

Speaking a press conference Monday in Moscow, Meshaal said the talks would fail because Israel is led by warmongers, RIA Novosti reported.

"I do not expect any progress in peace talks on the Palestinian, Syrian or any other direction of the Middle East settlement as the Israeli leadership is the leadership of war, aggression and occupation, rather than a leadership taking a stand for peace," Meshaal told reporters.

The Russian news and information agency reported that Meshaal also said a meeting between Hamas and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was not a top priority in the reconciliation process between the rival Fatah and Hamas factions.

"The primary goal is to reach inter-Palestinian reconciliation, not to meet with Abbas," Meshaal said. "A meeting is not that important ... The primary objective is to forge reconciliation."

He reportedly said Hamas will sign an Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation deal only after it is amended to reflect agreements that had been reached earlier.