All news

Russia confirms readiness to organize meeting of Netanyahu and Abbas

The Russian side confirmed its unwavering position "in support of the lawful rights of the Palestinian people for self-determination, including creation of its own independent state"

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Envoy on the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov confirmed during his phone call with the Fatah movement Central Committee member Hussein al-Sheikh Russia’s readiness to organize a personal meeting in Moscow between head of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"[Bogdanov] highlighted the actuality of the proposal made by the Russian authorities earlier regarding personal meeting between [Abbas and Netanyahu] without preconditions in Moscow," Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday.

During the phone call, the Fateh representative informed Russia about the latest decisions of the Palestinian Authority on Israeli relations.

According to the Ministry, the Russian side confirmed its unwavering position "in support of the lawful rights of the Palestinian people for self-determination, including creation of its own independent state within the 1967 borders with the capital in Eastern Jerusalem that would live in peace and good neighborhood with Israel."

"[The Russian side] also stated its readiness to continue efforts, including within the Middle Eastern Quartet, to provide cooperation in building a constructive Palestine-Israeli negotiations process, based on the known international legal basis of the Middle Eastern settlement," the Ministry added.

On May 17, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that time has come to annex a part of Palestinian West Bank territories. In response, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declare on May 19 that Palestine cuts all agreements with Israel and the US, adding that Israel has to bear responsibility for its attempts to annex the occupied Palestinian territories.