Hamas gives vision for governing to Abbas

GAZA, March 10 (Reuters) Hamas's prime minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh said today the militant Islamic group had set out its vision for running a Palestinian government to President Mahmoud Abbas.

But it was unclear what response Hamas had made to a formal accreditation letter Abbas gave Haniyeh last month, asking the group to abide by interim peace deals with Israel.

Abbas has asked Hamas to pursue his peace agenda after the group trounced his long-dominant Fatah movement in parliamentary elections on January. 25. Hamas is expected to form a government within weeks.

Speaking to reporters in the Gaza Strip after handing a formal response to Abbas, Haniyeh gave few concrete details but denied the Palestinian president had wanted Hamas to address his demands to accept the interim peace accords with Israel.

''Certainly the (Abbas) accreditation letter did not include conditions in this regard,'' Haniyeh said.

''We in the Palestinian government also have a vision and this we have explained in the response letter. We hope that this will represent the grounds for understanding between us and President Abbas.'' Israel refuses to negotiate with Hamas, which is sworn to the Jewish state's destruction. Hamas has said talks with Israel would be a waste of time.

Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders have said they would do what was in the interests of the Palestinian people but have sought to allay fears among secular Palestinians they would implement strict Islamic laws.

Hamas swept to victory in the January elections partly because of its anti-corruption image.

Abbas described the meeting with Haniyeh as positive and said consultations would continue.

Hamas has invited Fatah to join a coalition government.

Senior officials from Fatah, which believes in a negotiated settlement with Israel to end occupation, have said that would be unlikely.

Fatah and Hamas leaders failed in lengthy talks yesterday to agree on a governing partnership. Differences centred on Hamas's rejection to abide by existing peace accords with Israel, officials from both sides said.

Hamas has masterminded nearly 60 suicide bombings against Israelis since a Palestinian uprising began in 2000.

But it has largely abided by a ceasefire that Abbas, a moderate, helped broker a year ago.

REUTERS KD RK2142