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Palestinian President Abbas hails Russia's loyalty, trustworthiness

According to the Palestinian leader, Russia remains Palestine’s "heartfelt friend"

MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/. Russia has never betrayed the Palestinian people, always seeking to support them, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Let me tell you frankly, former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat made a trip to Moscow together with Egyptian President Gama Abdel Naser in 1968. I visited Moscow for the first time in 1979. I was part of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s delegation, which also included Khaled al-Hassan, Salah Khalaf and Abu Saleh. The visit, which lasted ten days, has stuck with me to this day," he said. "Since then, neither the Soviet Union nor Russia has ever betrayed the Palestinian people and has always stood by their side," Abbas added.

According to him, Russia remains Palestine’s "heartfelt friend." "I can’t remember a single time it treated us badly or acted against us. No matter what we ask for, it has always been willing to help," he noted.

The Palestinian president went on to say that he actually studied the Russian language in the past. "I don’t remember much due to the lack of practice. I’ve forgotten it," he said with a laugh.

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