RUSSIAN PRESIDENT MEET PALESTINE’S LEADER TODAY

Moscow, 20 Rabiul Awwal 1435/22 January 2014 (MINA) – The Russian President Vladimir Putin will have talks with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas, who is coming on a working visit to Russia on Thursday.

The negotiators “plan to discuss key issues of bilateral cooperation and problems of regional security, including Middle East settlement,” the press service said.

Abbas’ previous official visit to Russia took place in mid-March 2013. Then he had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and head of Russia’s North Caucasian Republic of Karachai-Cherkessia Rashid Temrezov.

As the leader of the Palestine National Authority (PNA), Mahmoud Abbas paid his first official visit to Moscow in early 2005. The PNA leader has made ten visits in Russia since then, Voice of Russia reported quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

Official contacts of the Soviet leaders with the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) were established in February 1970, when a delegation headed by PLO leader Yasser Arafat visited Moscow for the first time. Later on, Arafat visited the Soviet Union and then Russia many times.

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On November 18, 1988, the Soviet Union officially recognized the State of Palestine, which was proclaimed at a session of the Palestine National Council in Algeria on November 15, 1988.

Historically, Russia has been playing an important role in supporting the Palestinian problem, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said. He added that Palestine is “aware of Russia’s important role” and wants “to maintain contact with President Vladimir Putin and the Russian leadership”.

The United States’ participation in the Palestinian-Israeli settlement does not mean Russia’s role is decreasing, said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

“The United States has been involved in the Palestine-Israel talks since the start and we hope its role will be effective and carefully weighed. At the same time, we would like other parties, such as Russia, the European Union, China and UN, to play an influential role in these talks and in the general efforts to promote the political process,” Abbas said in an exclusive interview with Interfax ahead of his visit to Russia.

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“We don’t think Russia’s role has decreased,” the Palestinian leader said. “Historically, Russia has been playing an important role in supporting the Palestinian problem. A further increase of this role has vast prospects, since it can accelerate the guaranteed, fair and balanced political settlement,” Abbas said.

“We are aware of Russia’s important role and we want to maintain contact with President Vladimir Putin and the Russian leadership, as we understand very well the importance and core meaning of Russia’s role in the region and in the world as a whole,” the Palestinian leader said. Abbas expressed confidence that, “Russia’s political weight will help forge a fair and lasting solution to the problem.”

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Concerning bilateral relations with Moscow, Abbas said, “Russia, historically, is a friendly nation for the Palestinian people and it has supported Palestinians in the time of trials.”

“Russia has been a source of diversified political, economic and diplomatic assistance. Russia opened the doors of its universities to our students. It has been supporting our struggle and our efforts to put an end to the occupation and to form an independent Palestinian state,” he said.

“Undoubtedly, we are interested in Russian economic support and assistance in training personnel for Palestinian courts. We are confident that Russia will always side with the Palestinian people’s commitment to exercise their rights and create institutions of their own independent state,” he said. ( T/P04 /P03/mirajnews.com )

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency ( MINA )