Mikhail Bogdanov, Russian presidential special representative for the Middle East and African countries, and deputy foreign minister, discussed the Palestinian-Israeli settlement with the EU special representative for Middle East affairs Sven Koopmans and the possibility of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Middle East quartet (Russia, EU, US and UN). This was said in a statement of the Russian foreign ministry issued on Wednesday.
The foreign ministry stressed that the sides at the consultations confirmed the need to improve the socio-economic situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as to create conditions for direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis. "In this context, a set of possible practical steps were discussed by the Middle East quartet of international mediators comprising Russia, the US, the UN and the EU, including the convening of a quartet meeting at the ministerial level aimed at implementing the principle of 'two states' - Israel and Palestine coexisting in peace and security in accordance with UN resolutions," the ministry said.
The parties also noted the need to stop any unilateral steps, especially settlement activity and incitement to violence. "The relevance of holding an inclusive inter-Palestinian dialogue aimed at achieving national unity on the political platform of the PLO [Palestine Liberation Organization] was emphasized," Smolensk Square added.
The consultations were also attended by Vladimir Safronkov, the special representative of the Russian MFA on the Middle East settlement.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS