Gorbachev: Washington should open up to Hamas

     Washington must open up relations with Hamas if the conflict between Palestinians and Israel is to be resolved, Nobel peace prize winner and the last Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev said.
     Gorbachev, writing in the state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily, criticised Washington's hard line against the militant organisation, which has organised many of the bloodiest attacks against Israel in recent years and which won last week's Palestinian parliamentary elections.
     "The USA' first reaction to the results in the Palestinian elections was a mistake," he said on Friday. "Statements made shortly after the elections that there will be no negotiations with Hamas mean the closing of a political exit from the situation not only for Hamas, but all Palestinians."
     "If the USA sticks to this position, the consequences could very soon be serious," Gorbachev said.
He also wrote that Israel must engage with the Arab world rather than believe in the "illusory hope of a unilataral solution."
     Earlier this week, US President George W. Bush said that Hamas must renounce threats of violence against Israel if the group wants contact with the United States.
     Hamas "now has a choice to make. If they want to work with the United States of America, they must renounce their desire to destroy Israel. They must be a partner in peace," he said.
     Russia has indicated that it is ready to deal with a Hamas-led government.

Agence France Presse, February 3, 2006