Hamas-Fatah Delegation visits Moscow: reiterate statehood resolve

"The delegation met Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and agreed a joint statement. Palestinian members say they will seek the UN recognition as an independent state within the 1967 borders in September, at the UN General Assembly."



PressTV - Palestinian factions reiterate statehood resolve:

Tue May 24, 2011 3:54PM
Svetlana Tikhomirova, Press TV, Moscow

"The leaders of Hamas and Fatah have spent several days in Moscow. They were invited by Russia to discuss reconciliation and plans for the recognition of a Palestinian state.

The delegation met Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and agreed a joint statement. Palestinian members say they will seek the UN recognition as an independent state within the 1967 borders in September, at the UN General Assembly.

And that Moscow has promised to support it. Earlier US president Barack Obama called for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal based on the borders drawn up in 1967.

The Middle East Quartet supported the US call, while Israel rejected it.

Fatah accused Israel of seeking to hamper and foil the peace process.

The Hamas leadership said it will not recognize Israel. For the first time members of Hamas and Fatah arrived as one delegation.

They signed a peace deal in Cairo in early May ending a four-year split and paving the way for Palestinian unity. Hamas and Fatah are set to form a technocratic government and hold presidential and parliamentary elections within a year.

Russia has called the reconcilitation of Hamas and Fatah a historic event.
Moscow is convinced it will boost Arab unity and the Arab peace initiative.
While the key thing now is to translate the Cairo agreements into practice.




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