CAIRO, Egypt, April 28, SPA -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday he was cautiously optimistic that the embargo against the Palestinians would slowly be lifted as the coalition government of Hamas group and his Fatah movement gains support abroad. Abass comments came after a meeting with President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, which on Friday hosted rare face-to-face meeting between Abbas and the exiled Hamas political chief, Khaled Mashaal. It was the first meeting of the two since their sides joined in a coalition government in March. Abbas arrived in the Egyptian capital from a seven-nation touring of European Union countries this month _ his latest attempt to persuade Europe to end the aid cutoff and fully resume dealings with Palestinian government. «There is a possibility of the lifting of the siege onthe Palestinian people, it will come gradually,» Abbassaid in Cairo on Saturday. «We didn't feel that there areproblems with the European countries, either in terms ofthe lifting of the financial siege or the politicalsiege.» Abbas was quoted as saying by the Associated press that he and Mashaal on Friday «discussed manyissues related to the time following the coalitiongovernment formation, and the necessary steps that should be taken to enable the government to carry out its duties and lift the siege."--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/444970