Palestinian President Abbas to Visit Russia on Monday
CAIRO (Sputnik) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Russia on Monday evening.
Palestinian Ambassador to Moscow Abdel Hafiz Nofal earlier told Sputnik that the Palestinian leader would visit Russia on August 12. Abbas' visit to Russia will take place against the backdrop of Egypt, Qatar and the United States calling on Israel and the Hamas movement to resume discussions on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Earlier, a diplomatic source told Sputnik that Abbas' visit to Russia was scheduled for August 12-14, and he expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 13. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that a very important conversation about normalizing the situation in the Middle East would take place during the visit.
In late February, a meeting of Palestinian factions was held in Moscow. The parties discussed the formation of a new united government, as well as the problem of post-conflict "restructuring" of Gaza. The head of the Fatah delegation at the intra-Palestinian talks in Moscow, Azzam al-Ahmad, told Sputnik that Abbas would visit Moscow after the presidential elections in Russia.
In early August, Abbas, on the eve of his visit to Russia, gave an interview to Sputnik, in which he said that he was going to Russia to exchange opinions on the latest international events, coordinate positions and strengthen bilateral relations. The Palestinian leader noted that he planned to discuss the peace process for the Palestinian settlement during his visit.
Speaking about the situation in the Gaza Strip, Abbas expressed Palestine's confidence that the Israeli government would not be able to separate Gaza from the West Bank "by military means." As for the future of the enclave, the head of Palestine stated that the Gaza Strip should be transferred to the control of the legitimate Palestinian authorities, and he also called Israeli plans for temporary control over the enclave unacceptable.
According to the Palestinian leader, consultations on the creation of a national unity government in Palestine will begin after the end of the war in the Gaza Strip and if the Hamas movement accepts the terms of reconciliation.
Abbas also emphasized that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) had never refused to negotiate with Israel and recalled that several years ago he had agreed to a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Russian mediation. He stated that Palestine was ready for negotiations with Israel on the final status within the framework of a peace conference.
