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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas kisses a Palestinian flag before raising it during United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations in Manhattan, September 30, 2015. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly


Abbas Ready to Meet Netanyahu in Moscow without Conditions

by | Sep 7, 2016 | Middle East |

Abbas Ready to Meet Netanyahu in Moscow without Conditions

Ramallah- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday that a proposed meeting in Moscow with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 8 will not be held although Palestinian officials have encouraged such talks to take place without conditions.

“President Putin has proposed a meeting on Sept. 8 in Moscow but Netanyahu requested to postpone it,” Abbas told a joint news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw.

Abbas’ announcement followed recent debate over Palestinian conditions to approve this meeting; these conditions include releasing the final batch of captives and stopping the Israeli settlement activities.

Mikhail Bogdanov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, stated after convening with a Palestinian delegation that the talks with both parties are ongoing regarding the meeting. Bogdanov also met Abbas for the same purpose.

Bogdanov added that “the Russian stance is clear and final. Russia recognizes the state of Palestine for the past 25 years and supports the Palestinian people especially when it comes to having their own independent country.”

He continued that stability, peace and security are unlikely without some compromises.

Palestinian Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudainah said the Israeli attitude indicates once again that the Israeli government lacks seriousness in the efforts exerted to achieve peace based on a two-state solution.

In the same context, Palestine Liberation Organization Secretary General Saeb Erekat stated that Russia is fully aware that peace between Palestine and Israel means peace in the whole region.

Secretary-General of the Palestinian Presidency Al-Tayeb Abdulrahim informed Bogdanov that the Palestinian authority welcomes Putin’s initiative and is willing to fully cooperate with the Russian efforts to activate the peace process.

“For this to happen, Israel should abide by its commitments to release the fourth batch of captives, implement international resolutions and stop the settlements in order to establish the Palestinian state,” said Abdulrahim.