ID :
183581
Sun, 05/22/2011 - 12:06
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/183581
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Representatives of main Palestinian forces meet near Moscow
MOSCOW, May 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Representatives of the main Palestinian
forces, including Fatah and Hamas, began their meeting behind closed doors
at a sanatorium site near Moscow on Saturday.
A source close to the negotiations told Itar-Tass that high-ranking
representatives of the main Palestinian forces had arrived in Russia to
meet right after an agreement between Fatah and Hamas was reached in Cairo
to form a Palestinian government of professionals.
Aside from Fatah and Hamas, representatives of such organisations as
the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine, the People's Party and the so-called
Independents participated in the talks, the source said.
The meeting is held under the auspices of the Institute of Oriental
Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences with assistance of the Fund for
the Support of Islamic Culture, Science and Education.
The high-ranking Palestinian representatives arrived in Moscow at the
invitation of Oriental Studies Institute Director Vitaly Naumkin. At the
Palestinians' request, he chairs the meeting.
Aside from RAS experts -- mainly former ambassadors, high-ranking
Russian Foreign Ministry officials were present at the meeting.
The subject of the talks is kept secret. However, according to the
source, the meeting may result in some signed document.
Presumably, the aim of the Moscow organisers of the meeting is to
consolidate the agreement reached in Cairo and assist to bring closer the
positions of Palestinian forces to help them to become a party for peace
talks with Israel, the source said, adding that close ties between the
Oriental Studies Institute and Russia's power structures were not a secret.
The holding of such a meeting in the Russian capital is an obvious
success of the Russian Middle East diplomacy. Russia, in fact, for the
first time in many years really intercepts the initiative from partners in
the Middle East settlement, the source noted.
The meeting is expected to be continued on Sunday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who concluded his working trip
to Kaliningrad on Saturday, will meet with representatives of Palestinian
organisations on Monday, an official in the minister's delegation
confirmed to Itar-Tass, without saying with whom of them Lavrov was
expected to hold consultations.
However, given the latest reconciliation between the main opposing
forces Fatah and Hamas, one can assume they speak in one voice.
In addition, Lavrov's meeting with their representatives will be held
in the situation when the U.S. administration for the first time has
openly stated that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be settled on
the basis of the returning of Israel to the borders of 1967 and the
exchange of territories with the Palestinians. The other members of the
Middle East Quartet supported President Barack Obama's statement, which
caused open displeasure of the Israeli government.
The Quartet (the United Nations, the Russian Federation, the United
States and the European Union) keep to the common stand that the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict must be settled without delay, the
international mediators stated. In this connection, the Quartet has
expressed strong support for the view of ways to achieve peace between
Palestinians and Israelis, which was stated by the U.S. president on May
19.
The Quartet members agree that the progress in the settlement of
border and security problems can become a basis for Palestinians and
Israelis to finally settle the conflict through serious substantive
negotiations and mutual agreements on all the key issues, the document
said. The Quartet again persistently urges the parties to overcome the
existing obstacles and resume direct bilateral talks without any delays
and preconditions and confirms its commitment to the earlier made
statements and the principles.
Russian presidential office chief of staff Sergei Naryshkin noted that
Russia consistently advocated the formation of an independent Palestinian
state within the borders of 1967 with the capital in East Jerusalem. The
position was reiterated by President Dmitry Medvedev during his visit to
Palestine in January 2011.
-0-pan
forces, including Fatah and Hamas, began their meeting behind closed doors
at a sanatorium site near Moscow on Saturday.
A source close to the negotiations told Itar-Tass that high-ranking
representatives of the main Palestinian forces had arrived in Russia to
meet right after an agreement between Fatah and Hamas was reached in Cairo
to form a Palestinian government of professionals.
Aside from Fatah and Hamas, representatives of such organisations as
the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine, the People's Party and the so-called
Independents participated in the talks, the source said.
The meeting is held under the auspices of the Institute of Oriental
Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences with assistance of the Fund for
the Support of Islamic Culture, Science and Education.
The high-ranking Palestinian representatives arrived in Moscow at the
invitation of Oriental Studies Institute Director Vitaly Naumkin. At the
Palestinians' request, he chairs the meeting.
Aside from RAS experts -- mainly former ambassadors, high-ranking
Russian Foreign Ministry officials were present at the meeting.
The subject of the talks is kept secret. However, according to the
source, the meeting may result in some signed document.
Presumably, the aim of the Moscow organisers of the meeting is to
consolidate the agreement reached in Cairo and assist to bring closer the
positions of Palestinian forces to help them to become a party for peace
talks with Israel, the source said, adding that close ties between the
Oriental Studies Institute and Russia's power structures were not a secret.
The holding of such a meeting in the Russian capital is an obvious
success of the Russian Middle East diplomacy. Russia, in fact, for the
first time in many years really intercepts the initiative from partners in
the Middle East settlement, the source noted.
The meeting is expected to be continued on Sunday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who concluded his working trip
to Kaliningrad on Saturday, will meet with representatives of Palestinian
organisations on Monday, an official in the minister's delegation
confirmed to Itar-Tass, without saying with whom of them Lavrov was
expected to hold consultations.
However, given the latest reconciliation between the main opposing
forces Fatah and Hamas, one can assume they speak in one voice.
In addition, Lavrov's meeting with their representatives will be held
in the situation when the U.S. administration for the first time has
openly stated that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be settled on
the basis of the returning of Israel to the borders of 1967 and the
exchange of territories with the Palestinians. The other members of the
Middle East Quartet supported President Barack Obama's statement, which
caused open displeasure of the Israeli government.
The Quartet (the United Nations, the Russian Federation, the United
States and the European Union) keep to the common stand that the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict must be settled without delay, the
international mediators stated. In this connection, the Quartet has
expressed strong support for the view of ways to achieve peace between
Palestinians and Israelis, which was stated by the U.S. president on May
19.
The Quartet members agree that the progress in the settlement of
border and security problems can become a basis for Palestinians and
Israelis to finally settle the conflict through serious substantive
negotiations and mutual agreements on all the key issues, the document
said. The Quartet again persistently urges the parties to overcome the
existing obstacles and resume direct bilateral talks without any delays
and preconditions and confirms its commitment to the earlier made
statements and the principles.
Russian presidential office chief of staff Sergei Naryshkin noted that
Russia consistently advocated the formation of an independent Palestinian
state within the borders of 1967 with the capital in East Jerusalem. The
position was reiterated by President Dmitry Medvedev during his visit to
Palestine in January 2011.
-0-pan
