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Palestine wants Russia to call Middle East peace conference — ambassador

Abdel Hafiz Nofal stressed that a new international mechanism is needed for dialogue between Palestine and Israel, which could be set up with the help of the Middle East Quartet

MOSCOW, December 9. /TASS/. Palestine hopes that Russia will organize a Middle East peace conference, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal said in an interview with the Izvestia daily on Thursday.

"<…> Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he wants Russia to call an international peace conference that would yield a new mechanism for the peaceful settlement of the Middle East conflict. But it doesn’t mean that such a conference would be organized already tomorrow. We want it to be held and we have Russia’s principled consent as it has recognized the importance of such a format," he said, commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Mahmoud Abbas in Sochi on November 23.

The Palestinian diplomat stressed that a new international mechanism is needed for dialogue between Palestine and Israel, which could be set up with the help of the Middle East Quartet (Russia, the United States, the United Nations, and the European Union). The decision on the participants in such a conference should be made by the United Nations upon agreements with the sides.

According to the Palestinian diplomat, Abbas was frank with Putin on what concerns dialogue between Palestine and Israel and said he completely trusted Russia’s leaders.

"We think that Moscow is playing a major role in the peace process. We don’t want unilateral US-brokered talks any longer. We need a new international mechanism for the settlement of the Middle East conflict. And we want Russia to play a bigger role in the peace process and act as a mediator at the Palestinian-Israeli talks. We are ready to hold Russia-mediated dialogue with Israel in Moscow," he added.

Kiev confirms pulling back US-made Abrams tanks due to vulnerability to Russian UAVs

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"United States has no intent of conducting combat operations inside of Ukraine, nor are these forces going to be anywhere near the frontlines," Patrick Ryder said

Ukraine had to negotiate agreements with Russia with ‘three masters’ — Russian envoy

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Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

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Pavel Muraveiko stressed that "the leaders of Belarus and Russia are doing everything possible and impossible to ensure peace and security on western borders"

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Spokesman Wang Wenbin stressed that China was not providing weapons to the conflicting parties and strictly controlled dual-use goods, including the export of drones

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Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

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Russian diplomat accuses US of coordinating Ukraine’s terrorist attacks

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West prepares puppet structures in case of coup in Belarus — KGB

Ivan Tertel said various methods were being considered, up to "instigating a forceful seizure by illegal armed groups" being trained in the West and Ukraine

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Russian cosmonauts begin first spacewalk in 2024

Oleg Kononenko and Nikolay Chub are expected to spend 6 hours and 52 minutes outside the orbital outpost

Kiev may use ATACMS missiles to hit Crimean Bridge — Russian defense ministry official

Russian military will do its utmost to repel such attacks, Apty Alaudinov said

ATACMS shipment proves ‘Zelensky’s formula’ needed in US as ‘smoke and mirrors’ — diplomat

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