Hamas plays down chances of Fatah talks

Hamas expressed doubt on Friday that Yemeni-sponsored reconciliation talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah faction would succeed despite an agreement to extend the discussions for an extra day.

At the request of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the rival Palestinian factions agreed to meet on Saturday in a last-ditch push for a breakthrough.

"Fatah is trying to avoid reaching an agreement by all possible means," said Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesman in the Gaza Strip, which the Islamist group seized in June after routing Abbas's Fatah forces. Taha said Abbas was not interested in resuming talks with Hamas because of "an American veto".