The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced on Thursday that the group has already held talks with the European Union (EU).

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a press statement that Hamas representatives and the EU diplomats have held several meetings both in and outside the Palestinian territories especially after the Palestinian local elections in which Hamas put up a strong performance.

News surfaced on Thursday that the EU had allowed diplomats to meet members of Hamas' political wing.

In response to the reports, Abu Zuhri said, "Talking about the EU-Hamas meetings through their mass media will give the meetings a legitimate aspect."

Lauding the EU decision "a good attitude", Abu Zuhri said there is still much for the pan-Europe bloc to do to reach out to Hamas, which has been labelled a terrorist group by the EU.

In addition, Abu Zuhri said, "Hamas' performance in the latest Palestinian municipal elections has made the EU to be aware that no agreement (concerning the Mideast peace process) can be reached without Hamas."

The EU decision has triggered protests from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which said the Jewish state is to press the pan-Europe bloc to maintain Hamas in its terror list.

"We believe Europeans should be strengthening moderate Palestinians and not appeasing the extremists," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.

Israel has exchanged harsh words with British officials due to statements by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw last week that British diplomats had met recently with Hamas mayors.

Hamas, an acronym for Islamic Resistance Movement and meaning " zeal" in Arabic, emerged in the first Palestinian uprising in 1987 and vowed to destroy Israel.

Spearheading the second uprising that broke out in 2000 and running a charity network, Hamas has grown into the largest Palestinian Islamic group and gained huge street popularity.

The group has made impressive showings in latest Palestinian local elections and is widely seen set to net massive support in the next legislative elections.

The EU added Hamas' militant wing into its list of terrorist groups in 2002, but refrained from blacklisting the organization's political arm, arguing that the political arm could play a role in peace talks with Israel in the future.

Source: Xinhua