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Russia on Monday vowed to actively support the new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and to further develop Russian-Palestinian relations.
"You are the recognized leader of Palestinian people and we shall actively back you and develop Russian-Palestinian relations," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during talks with Abbas who arrived in Moscow Sunday night on a three-day visit, the Itar-Tass News Agency reported.
The minister said Moscow hailed the election results in Palestine that, he hoped, would ensure a just settlement to the dispute with Israel and a lasting peace in the Middle East region.
Abbas, for his part, said: "Palestine pins great hopes on Russia in pushing forwards the peace process."
The Palestinian leader said he had done "everything possible" to make sure Russia was the first country he visited since his election as a show of respect for Russia's friendly support to Palestine.
Abbas hailed Russia's role in advancing the Middle East peace process, saying Russia has been the most prominent sponsor of the Roadmap peace plan launched in June 2003 together with the United Nations, the European Union and the United States.
(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2005)
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