White House says no decision on reducing Iraq troops in 2008

CAIRO (AFP) - Egyptian security officials were to host separate talks with rival Palestinian factions on Sunday in a bid to cement a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

General Borhan Hamad, heading the Egyptian team, was to meet separately with representatives of president Mahmud Abbas's secular Fatah party and the Islamist movement Hamas which share power in a Palestinian unity government.

Deputy premier Azzam al-Ahmed and former parliament speaker Rawhi Fattuh -- both from Fatah -- flew into Cairo late Saturday for the talks, the state-owned daily Al-Messa reported.

Delegation members were also due to meet with Arab League chief Amr Mussa, Al-Messa added.

On Saturday, the official Egyptian news agency MENA said the talks were part of Cairo's "intensive efforts to stabilise the truce and end Palestinian infighting".