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Russia pushes for larger role in Middle East

Vladimir Radyuhin

PRESIDENT VLADIMIR Putin's decision to invite Hamas leaders to Moscow has taken the West by surprise and pushed Russia to the centre stage of peace efforts in the Middle East.

Mr. Putin's bombshell announcement came at the end of his visit to Spain on Thursday. "Russia is maintaining contacts with the Hamas organisation and intends in the near future to invite the leadership of this organisation to Moscow," he told a news conference in Madrid.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said his group members would be "delighted" to visit Russia if officially invited.

Washington admitted that the Russian initiative came as a bolt from the blue and urged Moscow to demand that Hamas renounce violence and recognise Israel. "As a member of the Quartet, we would certainly expect that Russia would deliver that same message," U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "They did so as a member of the Quartet in public to Hamas, and if there are any future meetings between Russian officials and Hamas officials, we would expect that they would deliver that same clear, strong message."

Israeli President Moshe Katsav said Mr. Putin's invitation to Hamas was "absurd," while Transport Minister Meir Shitrit described it as "a stab in the back" and said Israel would not let Hamas leaders travel to Moscow. However, Moscow indicated that it expected Hamas political department chief Khalid Mishal, based in Syria, to lead the Hamas delegation to the Russian capital.

Mr. Putin explained that his decision to talk to Hamas was consistent with the new ground realities in the region. "Today, we must accept that Hamas came to power through legitimate, democratic elections in the Palestinian National Authority, that is why we must respect the choice of the Palestinian people."

At the same time, Mr. Putin said, Hamas must demonstrate readiness to work with the international community and recognise the legitimate rights of Israel. "While respecting the verdict of the Palestinian people it is necessary to search for solutions that would be acceptable to the new Palestinian government, the world community and Israel."

Mr. Putin's bold initiative was based on an understanding that following the crashing Hamas victory in the Palestinian election last month Russia was best positioned among the Quartet of key Middle East peace brokers, which also includes the U.S., the United Nations, and the European Union.

Commenting on the Hamas victory Mr. Putin said last week that it dealt a "big blow" to the United States and accused Washington of pursuing unilateral advantages "asking this or that side to pull [the] chestnuts from the fire."

For its part, Russia, in contrast to the U.S. and Western Europe, has never branded Hamas a terrorist group. "To burn bridges is the easiest, but not the most effective thing to do in politics," Mr. Putin explained.

Calming fears

Russian diplomats sought to calm Western fears that Moscow may be trying to split the Quartet. "We will put across [to Hamas] the coordinated stand of the Quartet of international mediators," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said on Friday. "Our goal in establishing contacts with Hamas is to prevent a serious degradation of the situation in the Israeli-Palestinian settlement, preserve the prospect of advancing the peace process on the basis of the `road map', and pursue the quest for decisions acceptable both for the PNA and Israel, as well as for the international community."

Mr. Putin's initiative can fill the dangerous vacuum created in the Middle East peace process and enable Moscow to regain a foothold in the region as an influential independent player.

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