OREANDA-NEWS. December 10, 2009. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov on December 9 held talks with Palestinian National Authority Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Malki, staying in Moscow for a working visit. The ministers signed a Protocol on Political Consultations between the foreign affairs agencies of Russia and the PNA.

There was a detailed discussion of the current situation in the Middle East settlement, primarily on the Palestinian-Israeli track. Lavrov expressed serious concern over the continuing impasse in the regional peace process. He informed Malki of the Russian efforts on a bilateral basis, in the UN and within the Quartet of international mediators to expedite the resumption of negotiating contacts between the Israelis and the Palestinians. They should result in the creation within the 1967 borders, with agreed territorial swaps, of an independent, territorially contiguous and viable Palestinian state living in peace and security with Israel.

The Russian side highlighted the need for a complete halt to Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories and for compliance by the parties with their obligations under the Roadmap and the bilateral agreements. The importance was noted of the parties avoiding any unilateral actions which would prejudge the resolution of the well-known final status issues.

Sergey Lavrov reiterated support for Mahmoud Abbas as a universally recognized leader of all Palestinians, and underscored the importance of an early restoration of the unity of Palestinian ranks based on the PLO platform and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Riad Malki presented the Palestinian assessments of the current crisis situation in the peace process, praising the role of Russia in the UN and the Quartet, and in international efforts generally to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East. He reiterated the principled position of the Palestinian leadership in favor of continuing the negotiations with Israel on a generally recognized international legal basis.

Practical issues on the Russian-Palestinian agenda were thoroughly considered. Mutual satisfaction with the insightful and confidential nature of the political dialogue was expressed and the joint resolve to develop contacts in the most diverse fields was reiterated – including trade, economic, cultural, tourist and sporting links, along with Russian help in training personnel for various Palestinian ministries and agencies in the interests of the formation of Palestinian statehood. The sides also spoke for improving cooperation through realizing the potential of the Russian-Palestinian Committee on the Middle East, as well as of the Russian-Palestinian Business Council, whose first meeting was held in Moscow in November this year and was marked by agreements on a number of joint projects.