Russian FM tells visiting Abbas he has Moscow's firm support
PA Chairman arrived in Moscow for 3-day visit Sunday; Russia has held talks with Hamas leaders in the past.
By News AgenciesRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Monday that Moscow supports him in his conflict with Hamas.
"We firmly support you as leader of the entire Palestinian people," Lavrov told Abbas, making his first trip to Russia since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip.
Abbas, who arrived Sunday in Moscow, was also slated to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his three-day trip. The daily newspaper Kommersant reported that Abbas hoped to persuade Putin to give full support to his Fatah movement.
The PA chairman told Lavrov via an interpreter: "We have a lot to talk about. There is the question of Palestinian unity, there is the question of Middle East peace and the peace conference." He was referring to an international summit for advancing the peace process recently proposed by United States President George Bush.
Abbas spoke earlier in a Moscow interview that was aired by state television. "The most important thing that I will raise and discuss with President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov is the bloody overthrow that happened in Gaza," he said.
Abbas said he would also discuss conditions for holding an international conference on the Middle East. He said he would inform the Russians about talks with ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Quartet's new envoy.
"There are a mass of questions we want to discuss with Russia's leadership including who will participate in the conference and what questions will be discussed there," he said.
Russian officials raised the ire of Israel and Western nations last year when they held talks with Hamas leaders in Moscow.
The ITAR-Tass news agency quoted Abbas as saying he intended to discuss "all the pressing problems, especially as many such problems have amassed.... Our friendship with Russia is rooted in history, and we will preserve and strengthen this relationship."
The visit is the first since the June takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas amid bloody fighting. That prompted a flurry of diplomatic activity, with the international community lining up behind Abbas and the West Bank-based government of moderates he has installed.
Russia is a member of the Quartet of Mideast negotiators, which also comprises the United States, the United Nations and the European Union. Abbas, who last met with Putin in Russia in May 2006, said last week that he hopes to reach a full peace deal with Israel in less than a year.
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PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas holding a press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Ramallah last month. (AP) |
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" The news today in People`s Daily is that Abbas has said(in Russia) that he welcomes mediation with Hamas,even from an international source!" So? This only proves that Abbas himself is a hypocrite and that he should not be trusted by Israel and the West.
published in Maan News yesterday.The breakdown was detailed and at the end we were informed that 42% of the population were already fatah supporters!Better go and check the poll results. 10 Maurice- the news today in People's Daily is that Abbas has said(in Russia) that he welcomes mediation with Hamas,even from an international source!
"We firmly support you as leader of the entire Palestinian people," Lavrov told Abbas. This is typical Russian hypocrisy: On one hand they say they suppot Abbas while on the other the promise arms and plane sals to Ahmadinejad of Iran who is a strong supporter and ally of Hammas! Here is tue hypocrisy for you. Russians style!
Only 15% of the Pals support Hamas. Since you are so very good at citing things, you can read it in Haaretz. The majority want new elections as quickly as possible. Unity Gov with Hamas is over.
15% of Pals back Hamas. Majority want new elections in the territories. So, while you keep pushing a different agenda, the Pals disagree with you. BTW, Arafat started the Second Intifada to keep from signing the Peace agreement at Camp David. He is now dead and gone, thank goodness, and the Pals will move forward to a new State and peace negotiations with Israel.
says.Russia's links with GW are at best uncertain and GW may have put some pressure on the missile defence system,though even here Putin did finesse the u.s. As for abbas representing the Palestinians he is not going to last very long unless he rejoins the Unity Government and gets some semblance of incorruptibilty because of the association with Hamas.Otherwise,the end is near for him.He had better take his ill gotten gains and go off where no one can spot him.
Relationship between Russia and Pals rooted in history on basis of anti-semitism and war cooperation to eliminate Israel. I do not believe that Russia will stop all relationship with Hamas, unlikely.
"We firmly support you as leader of the entire Palestinian people," Lavrov told Abbas. Lavrov does NOT decide who represents the "entire Palestinian people"! Only the Palestinian people have the right to do that. There are 1.5 Million Palestinians in Gaza who do NOT want Abbas to represent them! Palestinians in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and the rest of the world have NOT elected Abbas to represent them! Abbas was elected by a small portion of the Palestinian people so he can in NO WAY claim that he represents the entire Palestinian people!!! Lavrov's support ammounts to nothing because we haven't forgotten how impotent Russia was when Arafat was being surrounded in the Muqataa'a and was begging the super powers to do something! Russia can't say anything that displeases Bush because they know he can always pull the Chechniya card!
Natalie Please explain why you support Hamas, whose charter calls for genocide against Jews.
It would be convenient for the "Quartet" if there was one Palestinian leader recognized by all and capable of speaking for all Palestinians. Although there is nobody that fits this description at the moment, there are lots and lots who come closer than Abbas. This plays into Israels strategy. They know that the more they embrace Abbas, the less he will be regarded as a serious leader of the Palestinians. With no other option in sight, this is a fine excuse to defer a "peace process" until the next decade, or until the west bank is full to the brim with settlers, whichever comes first.
... while, plotting like a chessmaster to speed the happy day when this visual insult will be removed from sight Naturally, there is zero chance of Moscow isolating the only legitimate national government of Palestine, i.e. Hamas
someone should inform him even the two faced russians cant support iran and its proxies and fatah !!