Hamas's exiled leader says group ready for dialogue to achieve Palestinian reconciliation

The militant Palestinian group Hamas is ready for a national Palestinian dialogue that will achieve reconciliation and preserve national rights, the group's leader was quoted as saying Monday.

Syria's state-run news agency, SANA, said Hamas' exiled leader Khaled Mashaal made his comments during a meeting Monday with Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem. It said the two discussed the situation in the Palestinian territories. SANA did not elaborate.

Later in the day, Hamas issued a statement quoting Mashaal as saying that the group "is ready to participate in any direct dialogue (with Fatah) at one table under Arab umbrella if dialogue was without …