Mikhail Bogdanov, the Special Representative of the Russian President for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister, held a telephone conversation with Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of the Central Committee of the Palestinian movement Fatah. They discussed the outcomes of the recent inter-Palestinian meeting in China, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Azzam al-Ahmed, who is currently in Beijing, shared information about the results of the inter-Palestinian meeting that concluded in the Chinese capital,” the Foreign Ministry reported. The Russian side reiterated its unwavering stance in support of the early unification of all Palestinian political forces. This unity is seen as crucial for realizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their sovereign state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with well-known UN Security Council and UNGA resolutions.
The ministry noted that the final document agreed upon and signed in Beijing is based on the principal agreements established at the inter-Palestinian meeting held in Moscow from February 29 to March 1, which included participation from 14 organizations, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
“The Palestinians highly appreciate Russia's consistent and principled role in efforts to achieve Palestinian national unity on the political platform of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization),” the ministry added. It also acknowledged the constructive efforts of China, Egypt, and Algeria in this direction.
About the Negotiations
The Fatah movement had earlier announced the completion of preparatory work for a new round of talks with Hamas in Beijing, expressing hope for successful outcomes. Fatah, however, placed full responsibility for the failure of previous attempts to establish an inter-Palestinian dialogue on their counterparts.
In early June, it was reported that representatives of Hamas and Fatah planned to hold another round of consultations in Beijing in mid-June to normalize relations and discuss post-conflict governance in the Gaza Strip. According to Reuters, Fatah was expected to insist that Hamas recognize the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinians and pledge to abide by the PLO's agreements. In return, Hamas anticipated that Fatah would agree to establish a new Palestinian Authority in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Earlier in 2024, representatives of various Palestinian factions held talks in Moscow and Beijing to bridge their divisions, but these meetings have not yet produced significant results.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on TASS materials