Russia pledged Tuesday to help lift an economic embargo against the Palestinian government as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks with Hamas political director Khaled Mashaal,
upping the stakes in Moscow's bid to build influence in the Middle East.
"We are striving to have the international community support the peace process and make it irrevocable, including helping end the blockade against the Palestinian government,” Lavrov said at the start of talks with Mashaal.
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| France pledges to back PA unity government / Associated Press |
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Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy promises to work with Hamas-Fatah cabinet, but makes no commitment to free up aid for Palestinian Authority; ‘I encouraged Abbas to persevere in his efforts to quickly form national unity government,’ he says |
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Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who is also visiting Moscow, met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and asked that he urge Hamas to speed up the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
The Israel Our Home chairman also asked his host to work toward intensifying the economic siege imposed on the Palestinian government and contribute to the international pressure exerted on Iran over its defiant nuclear program.
The so-called Middle East diplomatic Quartet -- Russia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations -- imposed the sanctions after Hamas took control of the Palestinian government in elections last January and refused to recognize Israel or renounce violence.
Alone among the Quartet's members, Russia has criticized the sanctions and maintained diplomatic contacts with Hamas, hosting a pair of official visits since the January election that Mashaal called "bold steps."
"From the very beginning we wanted to make Moscow the first place we visited after the talks in Mecca in order to consult with you," Mashaal said, referring to a power-sharing deal struck this month between Hamas and the rival Fatah party.
The Quartet's members have been split on how to respond to the agreement, in which Hamas and the more moderate Fatah pledged to form a unity government but fell short of the Quartet's conditions for lifting the economic blockade.
Russia's Western partners condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization, and the group itself has claimed responsibility for dozens of suicide bombings against Israeli targets.
In their power-sharing agreement, Hamas and Fatah agreed to "respect" previous Palestinian-Israeli accords -- a rhetorical step short of agreeing to implement them.
Lavrov called the Mecca agreement a "positive step," saying: "The Russian leadership from the very beginning supported the idea of forming this kind of government."
Israel and the United States oppose lifting the embargo unless the new government recognizes Israel, renounces violence and agrees to stick by past peace agreements.
Mashaal also thanked President Vladimir Putin for a recent speech seen as part of a bid to raise Russia's influence in the Middle East in which the Russian leader slammed Washington for unilateral foreign policy moves.
"We highly value the support of the Russian Federation and the recent statement by President Putin in Munich," he said, referring to the controversial February 10 speech.
Putin's speech was followed by a three-day charm offensive to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar, traditionally close allies of the United States.
_a.jpg "Photo: Yaron Brenner")
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