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Mideast events must not distract attention from Arab-Israeli settlement - Lavrov

Lavrov said that Russia would carry on support to the Palestinians

MOSCOW, March 6 (Itar-Tass) —— Turbulent events in the Middle East must not distract international attention from the search for ways of the Arab-Israeli settlement, Russian Foreign Minister told FATAH Central Committee member, Cochairman of the Russian-Palestinian Working Committee for the Middle East Nabil Shaath on Tuesday.

“The conversation focused on the current status of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement. The sides also discussed the profound transformations underway in countries of the Middle East and North Africa,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Lavrov said that Russia would carry on support to the Palestinians in the fulfillment of their aspirations for the creation of an independent, territorially integral and viable state within borders of 1967, which would co-exist with its neighbors peacefully and safely, the ministry said.

He also said that the optimal way “of progress towards this goal is the negotiations on the acknowledged international legal platform.” “The parties to the conflict should do their best for the soonest resumption of negotiations and to abstain from unilateral provocative acts, which undermine the atmosphere of mutual trust and anticipate the outcome of the final settlement, like it happens in the case of Israeli construction projects,” the ministry quoted Lavrov. “Russia will continue to give comprehensive support to the resumption of the substantive peace process and therefore calls for the soonest ministerial meeting of the Middle East mediating quartet.”

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