Abbas: Israeli-Palestinian negations hard

    RAMALLAH, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday described the talks with Israel ahead of a U.S.-hosted peace conference as "hard and difficult."

    However, the moderate Palestinian president still expressed hope that the Israeli and Palestinian negotiation teams can reach a joint document outlining the Palestinian "national legitimate rights" ahead of the conference later this year.

    "We are racing the time to prepare a document that can be talked about later... we need the support of the intentional community," said Abbas during an awarding ceremony in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

    Abbas made the remarks when U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Israel for talks with Israeli officials.

    Rice will also meet Abbas and Palestinian officials on Monday to bridge gaps between the Palestinians and Israelis.

    Meanwhile, President Abbas renewed his rejection to holding any talks with Hamas before the end of Gaza "coup."

    Abbas has been rejecting any dialogue with Hamas since the Islamic movement routed the security forces loyal to Abbas and thus took over control of the Gaza Strip in mid June.

    While Abbas was insisting on his condition for talks, Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haneya, who is also prime minister of the sacked National Unity government, reiterated in a lengthy speech that the talks with Abbas must be unconditioned.

    He, however, did not signal any initiative of ending the control on Gaza.