Palestinian officials denied on Monday reports that President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to appoint an exiled top Hamas leader as deputy chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Mohammed Awad, Secretary General of the Hamas-led cabinet, told Voice of Palestine radio that it is not true that some media reported that Abbas agreed to nominate Damascus-based Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal as PLO deputy chairman. "This issue was not discussed by Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haneya," Awad said, adding "what were discussed are the political platform of a proposed coalition government and the activation of the PLO" according to the Prisoners Document of National Accordance initiated by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Meanwhile, a PLO executive committee member Taysser Khaled also denied the report, describing it as "untrue".