UNITED NATIONS, February 20. /TASS/. Russia calls on Israel and Palestine to resume talks and is ready to provide a venue for such dialogue, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on Tuesday at a UN Security Council meeting.

"The top priority task now is to immediately resume the Palestinian-Israeli talks on the generally recognized basis of international law, including corresponding resolutions of the UN Security Council and the Arab Peace Initiative," he said. "I reiterate our readiness to provide a Russian venue for a meeting between the Palestinian and Israeli leaders, without preliminary conditions. We hope this initiative will be taken in a positive way by both sides."

The Russian diplomat pledged that Russia would continue efforts "to keep in place the architecture of the Middle East settlement and to bring the political process out of the state of depression."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday Moscow was prepared to provide a venue for talks between Palestine and Israel without any preliminary conditions.