Abbas: Hamas, Fatah talks extended

Talks between Palestinian factions have been extended through Saturday to reach a breakthrough, the Palestinian Authority Chief says.

On Thursday, Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party and the Islamic Hamas movement which have been negotiating in Yemen accused each other of causing the talks to fail.

But Abbas told a news conference in Ramallah on Friday that the two sides have agreed to keep the talks going through Saturday, at the request of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

"We don't want to say the talks have failed,'' Abbas said." We hope for a positive outcome.''

The Palestinian ambassador in Yemen, Ahmed al-Deek, said the two faction heads would sit together for a second time on Saturday in the Yemeni capital, San'a.

In Gaza, Hamas government spokesman Taher Nunu only confirmed that the Hamas faction had remained in Yemen.

On Tuesday, Palestinian delegates from both factions flew into San'a for talks with Yemeni officials on ending their rift based on a seven-point plan proposed by Saleh.

The heart of Saleh's plan is restoring Abbas' authority in Gaza.