A prominent Hamas leader said on Saturday that Hamas is ready to hold talks with the United States to explain the movement's attitudes if it is elected into parliament in the upcoming elections.

"We are ready to meet with the whole world except the occupation (Israel)," Saied Siam, Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, told reporters, adding that he had met with several US and European officials.

Siam accused Israel of misleading the United States and always trying to show that the Palestinian people and Hamas are terrorists.

"Our movement has become stronger and more open-minded and we should take more responsibility to explain the Palestinian issue clearly," Siam said.

Hamas will run for the first time in the legislative elections salted for Jan. 25, 2006. Hamas boycotted the first Palestinian parliamentary elections in 1996 citing its opposition to the Oslo Accords.

Till now, all contact between Hamas and the West were held on European and US initiatives, according to Siam.

"When we are in the position of decision-making and in the Palestinian Legislative Council, this will definitely open more horizons," Siam added.

Hamas, an Islamic militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, has put up a strong showing in the local elections and with a surging street popularity is poised to present itself as a tough challenger to the ruling Fatah movement led by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Source: Xinhua