UN agency says West should talk to Hamas "moderates"

STOCKHOLM, May 15 (Reuters) The head of the UN agency aiding Palestinian refugees said today Western states should talk to ''moderate'' members of the Palestinian Authority's Hamas-led government.

The European Union and the United states have cut political ties with the Palestinian Authority and frozen direct aid after Hamas won control in elections earlier this year.

Asked if the EU and other countries should talk to Hamas, Karen Koning AbuZayd, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, said: ''I know their laws sometimes make it difficult to engage with the (Hamas) government, but I think there are some moderates among the ministers that deserve talking to.'' ''I hope there will be a realisation that we have painted ourselves into a corner by being so firm in our reactions to this government,'' AbuZayd told journalists on a visit to Stockholm for talks with Swedish government representatives.

''f we want to continue to help the Palestinian people, who need help, then we have to be a little more flexible on how we deal with it,'' she added.

The United Nations advised its aid agencies last month to avoid contacts with Hamas political leaders, but AbuZayd said at the time that UNRWA would not scale back contacts with the Palestinian government and would meet Hamas leaders as part of its aid work.

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