Palestinian PM denies talks with Abbas frozen

GAZA, Sept 17 (Reuters) Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas today denied that talks on forming a coalition government had been frozen by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Haniyeh said talks would only be put on hold while Abbas was attending meetings at the United Nations this week. Abbas aides had earlier said negotiations were frozen because Hamas had reneged on the terms of the deal to form a coalition government.

''I assure all parties that there is no retreat. There is an agreement between myself and President Abbas to resume the dialogue when he comes back,'' Haniyeh told reporters.

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