MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. Russia is always ready to join efforts to continue negotiations on the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the special presidential representative for the Middle East and African countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, told TASS in an interview following the First Ministerial Conference Russia-Africa.

"We are always ready to join in. In fact, we have always stayed engaged. Whenever they approach us and make it clear that our efforts are useful and appropriate, we do everything in our power," Bogdanov said. Asked about the need for persuading Qatar to resume mediation in the Palestinian-Israeli settlement, Bogdanov said that "they will decide for themselves."

"We have been meeting with different parties: the Palestinians, the Qataris, and the Israelis. We have not refused and have not given up, although the situation is very difficult. Apparently, the Qataris relented," he added. "Communication is ongoing," Bogdanov said when asked whether the negotiations were frozen.

Qatar's participation in the negotiations

On October 27-28, another round of consultations on the Gaza Strip was held in Doha with the head of the Israeli intelligence service Mossad, David Barnea, and CIA Director William Burns taking part. Qatar was represented by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Before traveling to the Qatari capital, Barnea met with representatives of the Egyptian security forces in Cairo on October 25, which is also acting as a mediator. However, the parties again failed to agree on the terms of a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry’s spokesman, Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari, said that the Qatari leadership had previously decided to suspend mediation efforts aimed at a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as the conflicting parties showed no willingness to end the hostilities.