Abbas says to call for new Palestinian elections soon

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrive for a joint news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah July 18, 2007.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday he would shortly issue decrees calling for new Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections.

Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip last month, has repeatedly rejected holding early parliamentary elections, which the group won in January 2006.

"This is part of the powers of the presidency to issue decrees that will have the power of law. We will issue these decrees soon," Abbas told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah when asked if he would call for new parliamentary and presidential elections.

Abbas, who made the comments during a meeting with visiting European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, did not say when elections could be held.

A senior aide to Abbas said the decrees could be issued later this week.