MOSCOW, May 28. /TASS/. The "Peace to Prosperity" workshop hosted by Bahrain in cooperation with the US is a new attempt by Washington to impose an alternative vision of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary on Tuesday.
On June 25-26, Washington intends to organize a seminar in Manama, where the economic part of the so-called "deal of the century" on the Middle East settlement may be presented.
"It is obvious that after the de facto failed forum in Warsaw, it is about a new American attempt to shift priorities of the regional agenda and impose an alternative vision of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement," the ministry said.
"A persistent bid to substitute the task of achieving a comprehensive political solution for a package of economic bonuses, eroding the principle of creating two states for two peoples, invites deep concerns," the foreign ministry stressed.
The ministry also drew attention to US plans to mobilize major financial means to implement large-scale investment projects, allegedly aiming to improve the lives of the Palestinians living in Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria.
"The Palestinian leadership has already categorically refused to participate in this American project, pointing out that the Palestine Liberation Organization won’t be transferring to anyone its exclusive rights to make crucial decisions on issues of fulfilling national hopes of the Palestinians," the ministry said.
With this in view, it reiterated commitment to the principled line that departure from the international-legal framework of the Middle East settlement is inadmissible.
"Truly joint efforts towards the establishment of direct and stable Palestinian-Israeli negotiations would be required at the present difficult stage as never before, instead of time-serving unilateral deals imposed from the outside," the foreign ministry concluded.