Arab League will delay calling ministerial meeting

CAIRO, Dec 19 (Reuters) Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said today he would put off calling for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers to give a chance to Arab efforts to end the Palestinian impasse.

''I've proposed convening an exceptional meeting of the Arab foreign ministers, but this proposal will be postponed somewhat to determine what progress has been made in the initiatives of some Arab countries,'' Moussa said in a statement issued by the Arab League.

Palestinian infighting, the worst in a decade, has escalated since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Saturday for early elections, in an attempt to break a political deadlock with the Hamas government. Hamas has accused Abbas of launching a coup.

Moussa said he based his decision to postpone calling the meeting on his talks with Abbas, who told him yesterday that a number of Arab countries were mediating between Hamas and Fatah, his own secular Palestinian group.

Abbas said there was still an opportunity for efforts to form a national unity government to succeed, Moussa said.

Moussa added that if the current crisis in the Palestinian territories escalated the meeting would be held, and the League would also consider calling for an Arab summit.

The Arab League statement said Moussa was speaking to reporters at Cairo airport before departure for Lebanon, where he has been mediating between the government and opposition.

REUTERS PDM ND1945