Freed BBC reporter thanks Abbas

george — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:41:51 -0700

BBC correspondent Alan Johnston has met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to thank him for helping to free him from 114 days in captivity in Gaza.
He met Mr Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, a day after he was freed in a deal between his kidnappers, the Army of Islam, and the Hamas movement.
Mr Abbas has led an emergency cabinet since Hamas ousted his Fatah movement in Gaza last month.
Meanwhile a group of UK MPs called for international engagement with Hamas.
Twenty MPs from all parties signed a motion in the House of Commons calling for a new relationship with the group following its role in securing the journalist's release.