(Updates with comments by former U.S. president Carter, PREVIOUS Cairo)

DAMASCUS, June 11 (Reuters) - The United States government must "find a way" to include Hamas in Middle East peace making, but the militant Palestinian group must commit to peace with Israel, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter said on Thursday.

Carter made his comments in Damascus where he is due to meet exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal later on Thursday.

Meshaal said in an interview with the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat published on Thursday that U.S. President Barack Obama should drop conditions for dialogue with Hamas.

He said Obama was adopting a different tone in dealings with Hamas and the group hoped this would be reflected in policies on the ground. "Obama's talk about Hamas contains new language".

"We hope ... that he will cancel conditions for dealing with Hamas. He said he's turning a new page with the region, and talks with the Iranians are without preconditions, and with the Syrians, so why does he place conditions on Hamas?" he said.

The United States and many Western governments say they will not talk with Hamas unless it recognises Israel, renounces violence against the Jewish state, and commits itself to the previous obligations of the Palestinian Authority.

Obama addressed Muslims last week from Cairo in a bid to mend ties strained under his predecessor George W. Bush.

"I don't believe there is any possibility to have peace between the Palestinians and Israel unless Hamas is involved directly in harmony with Fatah," Carter said after meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"My own preference is for the United States government to find a way at a very (early) date to have direct discussions with the Hamas leadership," he added.

"The first step has to be reconciliation between the Palestinian leaders to have a stable foundation to negotiate effectively with the Israeli leaders," Carter said.

"I will be discussing with them (Hamas) if they are willing to make the commitments for peaceful relations with Israel in the future and accept the overall requirements for peace and accommodation," he added.

Tension between Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction rose after violent raids against Hamas in the West Bank.

Meshaal left Cairo on Wednesday after talks with Egyptian officials that were aimed at healing the rift with Fatah. Several rounds of talks between Fatah and Hamas have been held in Cairo during the past year, though major differences remain.

George Mitchell, Obama's Middle East peace envoy who is due in Syria in the next few days, said in the West Bank city of Ramallah that Obama wants a swift resumption and "early conclusion" of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

"We have been very pleased to see in the last few months the United States government playing a much more active and strong role in the overall process," Carter said. (Additionao reporting by Aziz El-Kaissouni)

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