Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow for pre-summit talks

[December]

Let's hope that the upcoming meeting in Moscow will be fruitful and will put an end to the Zionist occupation of Palestine or at least the end of illegal settlements....

:)

April 17, 2008

http://russiatoday.ru/media/news/5/48070d83026ae.jpg

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is in Russia to prepare for this summer’s Middle East peace talks in Moscow. During his three-day visit Abbas is expected to finalise arrangements for the conference, which should take place sometime in mid-June.

Mahmoud Abbas received an honorary doctorate from Moscow State Institute of International Relations and gave a lecture to its top students.
However, the main goal of the head of the Palestinian National Authority is to prepare for the Middle East conference, which he says could save the peace process.

“We feel this will be a vital conference, which should help advance the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis, and promote peace in the Middle East,” Abbas said.
Later the Palestinian leader is set to meet with several important Russian figures, including Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia.
The Russian President and Mahmoud Abbas are expected to discuss the peace process. Palestine is calling for Israel to halt the expansion of settlements and dismantle illegal settlements.

http://russiatoday.ru/news/news/23599

http://studyrussian.com/MGU/Moscow/Kremlin-riverview.jpg

Moscow, Kremlin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Kremlin

[December]

Putin pledges support for Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts

18/ 04/ 2008

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NOVO OGARYOVO, April 18 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will back the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in their efforts to reach a peace deal, Russia's outgoing president said on Friday.
Vladimir Putin, back in Moscow after visits to Libya and Sardinia, met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the presidential residence. Putin said that Russia welcomed joint peace efforts of Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and "will support them in every possible way."

Russia, a member of the Quartet of Mideast mediators, plans to host a peace conference in June, as a follow-up to last November's U.S.-hosted Middle East peace talks.
Putin first voiced the idea of holding a Mideast peace conference in the Russian capital in 2005, and received the backing of several Arab countries prior to the Annapolis talks.
Abbas said expects major breakthroughs to be reached at the Moscow conference.

"We believe the Moscow conference will be a success, and progress will be made in the Mideast settlement," the Palestinian leader told Putin.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080418/105437116.html