Hamas says new rift with Abbas on government

DAMASCUS, Nov 24 (Reuters) Hamas accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today of imposing what it called unacceptable new conditions for forming a unity government.

Abbas is putting conditions on the formation of the proposed government, including the release of an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants in June and a halt to attacks by Hamas and other groups on Israel, said a Hamas statement.

The statement is the latest twist in months of on-off talks between Abbas and Hamas to try to form a coalition government that they hope will succeed in lifting eight months of Western financial sanctions.

''Abu Mazen (Abbas), has started putting new conditions which were not included in the understandings and agreements we have concluded to form a unity government,'' it said.

''The issue of calming down armed resistance was not on the table and should not be raised at this time,'' The statement said.

''Hamas had announced it is ready to stop rocket attacks if Zionist aggression and assassinations stop.'' Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior aide to Abbas, denied that Abbas had imposed new terms.

Hamas said it had not received guarantees from Abbas that the West would recognise the proposed government and lift sanctions.

The United States and European Union cut off direct aid to the Palestinian Authority in March after Hamas won elections.

Hamas, an Islamist group that is sworn to Israel's destruction, is listed as a terrorist organisation by the US and EU.

The hope is that a new government that unites ''technocrats'' and members of Fatah, which is more moderate than Hamas, might open the way for the sanctions to be lifted and for the government to again receive desperately needed Western aid.

Even if it is formed, there is no certainty that the sanctions, which have increased poverty throughout the West Bank and Gaza, where 3.8 million people live, will be lifted.

Hamas and Fatah had on Monday suspended negotiations over the formation of the government after disagreement emerged over the distribution of key ministries.

Fatah wants independent ''experts'' to take them over.

Hamas said in its statement that although it has agreed with Fatah to exclude leading politicians from the new cabinet, it should not be comprised totally of independents.

''This will not be purely technocratic government,'' it said.

''The new government must not be linked to other issues, such as a ceasefire or the captured soldier. Hamas is deeply worried about attempts to go beyond the bases agreed on with Fatah,'' the statement said.

''Linking the soldier issue with the proposed government damages Palestinian interests,'' it said.

REUTERS DKA BST1845