China, Switzerland drop Hamas boycott

April 18, 2007

RAMALLAH -- China and Switzerland have informed Palestinian officials they will deal with the new unity government made up of the Fatah movement and the militant Hamas group, the information minister said yesterday. Both nations have dealt with Hamas in the past, but the development appeared to reinforce a Palestinian effort to win recognition for their new government. Special envoys from the two countries met recently with Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr and informed him of their decision to deal with the unity government "without any discrimination between its members," said Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti.

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