Russian Foreign Minister's Special Representative for the Middle East Settlement Vladimir Safronkov discussed with representatives of the Spanish and Italian Foreign Ministries the conditions for restarting the peace process between Palestine and Israel in consultations on Wednesday.
"A detailed exchange of views on the regional situation took place, focusing on the importance of activating multilateral cooperation in order to create the necessary conditions for restarting the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis in order to achieve a sustainable two-state solution in accordance with UN resolutions. <...> The counterproductiveness of any unilateral steps on the Palestinian-Israeli settlement track was stated," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The sides discussed the Russian initiative to convene an international conference on the Middle East settlement, which was voiced by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a UN Security Council meeting in January. "The unique role of the Middle East "quartet" of international mediators comprising Russia, the United States, the UN and the EU as the only mechanism to accompany the peace process approved by UN Security Council decisions was unanimously confirmed," Smolensk Square noted.
On January 26, speaking at the UN Security Council open debate on the Middle East settlement, Sergey Lavrov suggested holding a ministerial meeting this spring and summer with the participation of the quartet of international mediators on the Middle East settlement (Russia, US, UN, EU), Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, as well as Saudi Arabia as the author of the Arab peace initiative.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Zuma \ TASS
Based on materials from TASS