Ramallah - Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad dismissed Thursday speculation that President Mahmoud Abbas would heed demands from Hamas and step down from the presidency since his term of office expires on January 8.

"The conditions for a vacancy in the presidency has not yet been met, and this ends the discussions from the legal aspect," he told a news conference in Ramallah.

Although Hamas has insisted that January 8 is the final day of Abbas' four-year presidency, the president's aides, citing an amendment that has not been ratified, insist he can remain in office for an additional period, in order to to hold legislative and presidential elections together.

Hamas, however, has said that it intends naming its top-ranking legislator, Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker Aziz Dweik, as transitional president for 60 days, as the law requires.

Dweik however is currently in an Israeli prison.

There was no comment from Abbas' office on Thursday, as the president was in New York.

Osama Hamdan, a Hamas leader in Lebanon, indicated Wednesday that the Islamist movement has not changed its position, and from Friday would no longer recognise Abbas' presidency.

He accused Abbas of not being on the Palestinians' side during the current fighting in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Gazan militants. (dpa)