Morsi to host Fatah, Hamas unity talks

CAIRO, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi plans to host reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas leaders in Cairo, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was to arrive Wednesday in Cairo at Morsi's request. Hamas leader Khaled Meshal arrived in the Egyptian capital Tuesday. The official Egyptian news agency MENA said Meshal planned to visit for several days.

Abbas and Meshal are to meet with Egypt's intelligence chief before a three-way meeting with Morsi, Egyptian media reports said.

Sources close to Hamas said Meshal will meet with Morsi and senior Egyptian officials including Ra'fat Shihada, head of Egypt's Security Service, the International Middle East Media Center said. The talks are to focus on a number of issues including internal Palestinian unity.

"The two presidents will discuss several issues and on top of them the Palestinian reconciliation," Yasser Othman, Egyptian Ambassador to Palestine, told the Palestine News Network. Azzam al-Ahmad a member of the Fatah Central Committee told the PNN, "Up until now, no preparations were made to hold such meetings between Abbas and Meshal but we don't rule out the possibility."