Hamas leader to visit China, East Asia

GAZA, Apr 4: Palestinian Foreign Minister and senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar today met in Gaza with a top Chinese diplomat and announced plans to visit China and other East Asian countries next month.

Israel and the United States have been trying to isolate Hamas, which won parliamentary elections in January and formally took control of the Palestinian Authority last week.

''We will visit countries of East Asia, and China will be the first country we will visit in that region,'' Zahar told reporters. ''I have spoken to the ambassador and they are ready to receive a Palestinian delegation any time.''

REUTERS