Abbas says unity talks with Hamas at dead end

[oberliner]

JERICHO, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, after meeting U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice on a new push for Middle East peace, said on Thursday talks on a unity government with Hamas had reached a "dead end."

The United States wants to strengthen Abbas, a moderate who has been caught in a power struggle with the Hamas Islamist group that took over the Palestinian government in March after winning parliamentary elections.

Rice praised Abbas's efforts and said Washington wanted to "intensity our efforts" to renew the peace process after a surprise ceasefire deal took hold in Gaza over the weekend. Rice will later meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

With Rice at his side, Abbas said: "For eight or nine months, the Palestinian people have gone without salaries, but unfortunately we have not reached an agreement ... Unfortunately we are at a dead end."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061130/pl_nm/palestinians_israel_dc_8