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Russia backs Abbas as ME peace hopes rise

AFP, Moscow
Russia pledged its "active" support yesterday for the Palestinians amid growing signs of a revival in the long-dormant Middle East peace process as visiting Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas voiced "high hopes" Moscow would advance the drive to restart peace talks.
"You are the recognized leader of the Palestinian people and we will actively support you," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Abbas in front of reporters after the two held talks.
Speaking afterwards at the Kremlin where he held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abbas said there was now a "historic" opportunity to rekindle the Middle East peace process and said Russia had a decisive role to play in doing so.
"There is a historic chance to bring about peace in the region," Abbas said.
"Russia's support in bilateral relations and in the framework of the
quartet will be of decisive importance in establishing a universal and stable peace in the Middle East," the Palestinian leader said in remarks spoken in Arabic and translated into Russian by an interpreter.
Putin said he hoped Abbas would succeed in implementing measures needed to improve the Palestinian-Israeli relationship and bolster the Palestinian economy.
"We are ready to cooperate with you and the international community in an active way to resolve these issues," Putin said.
Abbas underscored that his decision to travel to Moscow before visiting the United States or the European Union was deliberate and said the Palestinians "have placed high hopes in Russia advancing the peace process."
Abbas' trip to Moscow came as Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's top advisors were to meet Monday in Washington with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to discuss prospects for an Israeli-Palestinian
ceasefire.
Rice was scheduled to travel to the region February 6 and 7 and an Israeli official said a summit between Sharon and Abbas could take place the week beginning February 6, coinciding with Rice's trip.
Moscow, a member of the Middle East "quartet," enjoyed close relations in Soviet times with the Palestinians and other Arab states but its influence in the region has dwindled since the break-up of the Soviet Union.
Analysts said Russia, which has also developed warm relations with Israel since then, was examining various ways to reassert its interests in the Middle East and elsewhere, and Abbas' visit marked Putin's first direct engagement in the peace process in four years.
"The main goal of the Palestinian visitor is to obtain Russia's support in anticipation of difficult negotiations with the Israelis," the respected centrist daily Izvestia said Monday.