Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the Hamas-led cabinet, said yesterday that chances for a national coalition government "are still there."

Hamad told the Voice of Palestine that the door is still open for any faction to join the cabinet.

"The goal of the Palestinian cabinet is to form a national coalition cabinet to serve the interests of the Palestinian people," said Hamad.

Hamad made the remarks as the United States, Europe and Israel decided to boycott the Hamas-led government.

As for whether Hamas recognizes the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the Palestinians' sole and legitimate representative, Hamad said, "There are positive aspects toward recognizing the PLO."

"The chance of recognizing the PLO as the Palestinian peoples'representative is still possible and we did not sort out the issue," he said.

The Hamas-led cabinet holds a political platform contradicting the platform of the PLO, which recognizes Israel, denounces terrorism and calls for a peace solution based on relevant UN resolutions.

Hamas also refuses to write in its cabinet's platform the expression that the PLO is the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, therefore, other factions, including Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, refused to jointhe Hamas-led cabinet.

Hamas won the Jan. 25 legislative elections by securing 74 seats in the 132-member parliament and was thus given mandate to form a new cabinet.