Brazilian president says ready to talk to Hamas

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday his country is prepared to talk with the Islamic Hamas movement.

Speaking at a press conference with the Ex-Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas after talks at his Ramallah headquarters, Lula responded to a question by saying that Hamas must be part of any solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Brazil is prepared to talk to everybody,” he said. “All the parties involved must be listened to.”

Lula, on the first visit to the region by a Brazilian head of state, was due to travel to Jordan after his West Bank visit.

On Tuesday he met Israeli leaders.

Laying a wreath Wednesday at the Ramallah tomb of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.