International   

Russia backs Abbas, talks to Hamas

MOSCOW: Russia has voiced strong support for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, but has also vowed to keep up contacts with Hamas.

“I want to assure you that Russia will support you as the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people,” President Vladimir Putin told Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.

Mr. Putin urged Mr. Abbas to patch up with Hamas.

“I am convinced that you will do everything to restore the unity of the Palestinian people,” the Russian leader said.

“Our position has not changed. We have consistently upheld the legitimate interests of the Palestinian people, down to the creation of a Palestinian state.”

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also stressed in his Monday meeting with Mr. Abbas “the need to restore Palestinian unity through dialogue between all political forces,” the Ministry said in a statement. The Palestinian leader is paying his first three-day visit to Russia since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June.

While the West has lined up behind Mr. Abbas, supporting Israel’s plan to set up a Palestinian state on the West Bank only, Moscow has continued contacts with both sides in the Palestinian feud, urging them to overcome the rift.

“We have lowered the level of interaction with Hamas, but are maintaining contacts with them with one practical, pragmatic goal — to prod the sides to resume inter-Palestinian dialogue,” Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov said after Mr. Abbas’s meeting with President Putin.

He announced that Russia was planning to supply 50 armoured personnel carriers and some other defence equipment to the Palestinian Administration in the West Bank, as well as humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

U.S. bolsters allies against Iran
U.K. army presence in Ulster ends
Russia backs Abbas, talks to Hamas
Seven persons win Magsaysay award
LTTE move to terrorise civilians: army
Brown retains right to withdraw troops
Australia assures cooperation in civil nuclear energy sector
Kin of Bahrain fire victims yet to get relief
Pranab attends EAS consultations

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu