Palestine confirms Abbas ready to meet with Israeli PM in Moscow
Russia’s top diplomat stresses the need for direct talks between Israel and
Palestine for achieving peaceful settlement
January 13, 11:42 UTC+3
http://tass.com/world/924876

MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas confirms
readiness to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Moscow,
Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive
Committee Saeb Erekat said on Friday.

"Mahmoud Abbas earlier declared his readiness to take part in these talks in
Moscow, and we confirm it today," Erekat said.

Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov confirmed earlier Moscow will host talks
of leaders of Israel, Palestine when both sides are ready for this. "We were
ready to receive the leaders of Israel and Palestine in Moscow back in
September last year, and we are ready now when they can confirm their
readiness," Lavrov said.

Russia’s top diplomat stressed that the need for direct talks between Israel
and Palestine for achieving peaceful settlement is "long overdue."

Lavrov noted that Russia traditionally has a stance on the Middle East
settlement that is based on the decisions of the UN Security Council. "You
know this position very well," he added.

He also stressed the importance of restoring the Palestinian unity to
promote peace process. "We are ready to provide all the necessary
organizational support to the meeting of representatives of Palestinian
movements held on the basis of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the
Russian Academy of Sciences," Lavrov said.