Abbas see firm foundation of Russia-Palestine relations

Relations between Russia and Palestine have been built on a firm historical ground which would help them develop in future, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. "Nothing is changing in that sense," Putin told visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The two leaders discussed prospects for the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations and exchanged views of the situation in the region as a whole, the Kremlin press service said. Putin stressed that while the situation in the Middle East remained complicated, Moscow hoped the developments there would be positive, and that Russia would do all it could to support positive changes. Abbas agreed with that assessment, saying Palestine planned to start peace talks with Israel this year. "We hope this year the substantive talks with Israel will start. We hope that eventually a political settlement will be achieved based on creation of two states," Abbas said. Abbas' visit to Moscow was his first after Palestine has won an observer status in the United Nations. Abbas thanked Russia for its support in that regard.