Turkey and Russia today became the first non-Arab countries to open the door to talks aimed at wooing Hamas into the diplomatic fold, three weeks after the militant group shook the Middle East with a landslide in the Palestinian elections.

Khaled Mashal, the organisation's supreme leader - who lives in exile in Syria - arrived in Ankara where he met leaders of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). He is expected to meet Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister, at 5pm (1500GMT).

Russia has also invited Hamas leaders to Moscow for talks. The invitation infuriated Israeli leaders who accused the Kremlin of betrayal when it was first mooted last week.

Meanwhile, Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief, was in the West Bank town of Ramallah today where he met Ahmed Qureia, the leader of the defeated Fatah party who will stay on as caretaker Prime Minister until Hamas forms a government.

Turkey, a secular country with a mostly Muslim population, has close ties with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Although aware of the diplomatic risks, it is hopeful of joining the European Union and mediating a settlement with Hamas would burnish its international reputation.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that officials would repeat the demands of the negotiating Quartet - the EU, US, Russia and the United Nations - that Hamas renounces violence and recognises standing agreements with Israel.

Abdullah Gul, the Foreign Minister, said: "Since Hamas won a democratic election, from now on it must act in a democratic way. The important thing is to reach peace."

Ismail Haniya, Hamas's leader in Gaza who today emerged as the strongest candidate to take over as Prime Minister after the parliament is sworn in at the weekend, said that he would accept the offer from Moscow.

He said that a delegation including several of Hamas's exiled leaders would attend in the next few days, although a date for the visit has yet to be finalised.

Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, said that Moscow had agreed that Hamas must commit to seeking peace with Israel.

"We will work toward Hamas accepting the Quartet’s positions. This is not just the Quartet’s opinion but also that of the majority of nations, including Arab nations," he said.

Israel, however, believes that the invitation will serve only to legitimise a movement that has been behind dozens of suicide attacks during the five-year Palestinian uprising.

It is considering banning Palestinian workers from entering its territory, cutting off its electricity supply and halting monthly tax payments - the backbone of the impoverished state's economy.

The invitations came as Mr Mashal and his deputies continued their regional tour to test the temperature in neighbouring countries as they formulate a new Palestinian government.

The offers for face-to-face meetings come as Hamas appears to have dismissed veiled threats that the West would cut its $1 billion annual aid lifeline.

In his most recent speech, to a rally in the Sudanese capital Khartoum yesterday, Mr Mashaal dismissed the conditions of the Quartet. "There will be no recognition of Israel, and there will be no security for the occupation and colonisation forces. Resistance will remain our strategic option."

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