Moscow maintains contacts with the Palestinian movements of Fatah and Hamas and is ready, if necessary, to provide them with its platform for negotiations, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Wednesday.
"We are in contact with both Fatah and Hamas and other Palestinian organizations. If they have a desire to meet, Moscow is always, in our opinion, a convenient place for all Palestinians [to talk to each other]," he said.
Earlier Tuesday, it was announced in Cairo that Egypt had invited the leaders of Fatah and Hamas and other Palestinian factions to attend talks on an inter-Palestinian settlement, which are expected to be led by Arab President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. A proposal to this effect was made to the Palestinians during a visit to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by Abbas Kamel, head of Egypt's General Intelligence Directorate. Cairo proposes that the parties develop a road map for the reconciliation of Palestinian factions. The negotiations aim to unify the Palestinian position and end the division between the movements, as well as to form a government of national unity.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS