Rival Palestinian factions began crucial talks in the holy city of Mecca Wednesday, determined to attain a power-sharing agreement designed to avert civil war, a step without which there is little hope of resuming the peace process with Israel.

"It was agreed to form four committees in order to ease the process of reaching an agreement," said Azzam al-Ahmad, Fatah bloc chief in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), who is participating in the dialogue.

The committees will each tackle a key area, namely forming a national unity government, reinforcing political partnership, deepening reconciliation and ending tension as well as re-establishing the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

The decision was made in a closed-door session on Wednesday evening, revealed al-Ahmad, adding that, "A third and final session would be held on Wednesday night, and the four committees would start working separately. We hope that within the coming few hours we would reach an agreement."

However, al-Ahmad disclosed no further details on the contents of the closed-door meeting, calling the timing "premature to talk about the details."

President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ismail Haneya, exiled Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal, and senior leaders from both movements arrived on Tuesday in Mecca, Saudi Arabia for a national dialogue at the invitation of Saudi King Abdullah.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)