Russia is in favor of launching direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations as soon as possible and is ready to make efforts in the interests of achieving a settlement on an internationally recognized basis, first deputy permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy said on Tuesday, speaking at a Security Council meeting.
"It is clear that one of the foundations for establishing long-term stability in the region is the promotion of a Middle East settlement process with a central element - a just solution to the Palestinian problem," he said.
"Unfortunately, tensions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have not abated, exacerbating the problems of maintaining the ceasefire, providing humanitarian assistance to affected Palestinians, and reviving the peace process. Against this background, unilateral actions fraught with dangerous consequences continue - expropriation and destruction of Palestinian property, construction of settlements, including development plans in the occupied Syrian Golan, arbitrary arrests, violation of the status of holy sites, and violence," the diplomat drew attention. - At the same time, we note the importance of taking into account Israel's security interests".
In this connection, Russia "reiterates the call to refrain from provocative actions and unilateral steps". According to Polyanskiy, international cooperation and joint steps should accompany the progress of the Middle East settlement. Moscow sees the main task for the upcoming period as providing humanitarian aid to all the victims and those in need in the Gaza Strip.
Direct dialogue
According to the Russian diplomat, the entire set of final status issues must be resolved through direct consultations between Palestinians and Israelis.
"These negotiations must be launched without any delay. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the quartet of international mediators, Russia is ready to make efforts in the interests of achieving a settlement on an internationally recognized basis - UN resolutions, the Madrid principles, the Arab Peace Initiative - which provides for the establishment of an independent, sovereign and territorially contiguous Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," he said.
Russia calls on the quartet partners (UN, EU and US) to intensify interaction on these issues. "We held another virtual meeting of the special representatives on October 14. We emphasize the importance of convening a meeting of the quartet at the ministerial level, including in light of the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Madrid conference on the Middle East," Polyanskiy said. - "We are also ready for a dialogue with the key regional players and to include them in the quartet's efforts".
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Zuma \ TASS
Based on materials from TASS