EU CONDUCTS TALKS WITH HAMAS

LONDON [MENL] -- The European Union held secret talks with Hamas despitebeing designated as a terrorist group. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he held secret talks withHamas in 2004, more than a year after Brussels banned the group. Solana saidthe meetings were meant to explore the positions of Hamas and determinewhether it would be prepared to end attacks against Israel.