MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Russia actively cooperating with African countries on the topic of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Sergey Lavrov, a candidate for Russian foreign minister, said.

"Today, we are closely cooperating on the Palestinian problems, on the atrocious situation we see the Gaza Strip," he said at a plenary session of the Federation Council, or upper house of Russia’s parliament, which considered his appointment.

"We insist, and African countries support us, that all the principles of the UN Charter be always fully applied," he stressed, adding that Russia and African nations vote alike on many issues on the UN agenda.