RAMALLAH, West Bank, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas halted unity government talks after Hamas rejected interim peace deals with Israel, an aide said Sunday.
The talks are "frozen" until Abbas returns from a trip to the United States, where he is expected to meet with President Bush and attend a United Nations meeting, Abbas media adviser Nabil Amer told The Jerusalem Post.
Abbas was particularly troubled by comments from Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, Amer said.
Haniyeh said Saturday the proposed Palestinian national unity government would not need to recognize the interim peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Instead, it would respond "in the way that serves the higher interests of the Palestinian people."
Hamas said it nonetheless planned to continue the talks, saying formation of a unity coalition was "irreversible," despite differences of opinion.
A unity coalition could end international isolation and restore direct Western aid that was cut when the Hamas movement took office in March.
