Abbas makes clear elections unlikely soon -officials

JERUSALEM, Aug 3 (Reuters) Senior Palestinian officials have made clear to the United States and the European Union that new parliamentary and presidential elections are unlikely to be held near-term, Western officials said today.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who leads the secular Fatah faction, has said he would soon issue decrees calling for early elections despite opposition from Hamas Islamists who seized control of the Gaza Strip in June.

Abbas has not said when those elections might be held.

Hamas has said it would be unconstitutional for Abbas to call early elections.

Abbas dismissed a Hamas-led government and appointed a Western-backed administration in the West Bank.

''What I have not seen from the Palestinians is serious discussion about having an election in the near-term,'' a Western official in the region said.

''That doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't some Palestinians that would like to do that. But I think it's more a reflection of the reality on the ground,'' the official added.

Western officials said that message was conveyed to both the Bush administration and the European Union, who work closely with the Palestinian elections commission.

Abbas told Reuters last month that he would decree a change in Palestinian electoral rules that might make it harder for Hamas to maintain the parliamentary majority they won last year.

Abbas also said parliamentary and presidential elections must be held simultaneously in the West Bank and Gaza Strip -- a condition that leaves the timing uncertain, given the opposition of Hamas leaders.

Some constitutional experts have questioned Abbas's right to call early elections.

Legislative elections are not scheduled until 2010 and some constitutional experts note that the Palestinian Basic Law, which functions as an interim constitution, has no provision for calling early elections.

REUTERS SYU HS1932