Abbas: Talks with Hamas are still priorities

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Speaking about the recent election, Abbas said that several tasks are still the priorities of his party. These include talks with the Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.

Hamas was democratically elected in a 2006 Palestinian parliament vote. It then broke off with the government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas following months of conflict over power-sharing with the new government.

Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President, said, "Several tasks remain before us. The main one is the Palestinian national dialogue. We insist, in spite of all that is going on in terms of obstacles and provocative practices, that we must call for this dialogue and the success of this dialogue. We call for presidential and legislative elections, and this will be the basis for the upcoming dialogue with Hamas in Cairo."