By RIA Novosti
Cairo : The head of the Palestinian National Authority ruled out any contact with the Hamas group until the situation returns to normal, and said Monday international peacekeepers are needed to maintain security.
"Dialogue and contact with Hamas will only be possible once everything returns to normal in the Gaza Strip," Mahmoud Abbas told an Egyptian newspaper.
Abbas said there is no sense in holding talks with "those who carried out a coup in Gaza. Seizing power in Gaza cannot serve as a good environment for dialogue and finding a solution."
He also reiterated that international forces should be sent to Gaza to maintain security there, adding that the results of an investigation into the recent events in Gaza will be announced in late July.
The situation in Gaza exploded recently after an ongoing power struggle between Hamas and Fatah, which left many dead and Palestinian lands divided into two parts with Gaza being controlled by Hamas, and the West Bank under the control of Abbas' Fatah movement.
In an attempt to end an international blockade, Abbas dissolved the national unity government and formed an emergency cabinet, which received backing from the international community.
Hamas has refused to recognize Abbas' decision, continuing to consolidate their authority in the Gaza Strip. Israel and the West consider Hamas a terrorist organization.
Unlike the other members of the Middle East quartet which have backed Fatah, Russia has insisted all Palestinian factions be engaged in the peace process and said dividing Palestinian territories is dangerous.