Abbas to meet Putin in Russian resort for aid talks
(AP)
Updated: 2006-05-15 08:52 Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud
Abbas is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday for
talks on aid to the Palestinians amid an economic crisis and ways to revive
dialogue with Israel.
Putin, who has sought to boost Russia's Mideast role and held talks with
Abbas during a historic visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories just
over a year ago, was to host the Palestinian leader at his residence in the
Black Sea resort city of Sochi. Abbas arrived in Sochi late Sunday, Russian news
agencies said.
A Kremlin official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not
authorized to speak for attribution, said the meeting was taking place at "an
extraordinarily complex and crucial moment."
The United States, the European Union and others suspended direct financial
aid to the Palestinian government after the Islamic militant group Hamas came to
power in January elections.
The cutoff, as well as Israel's refusal to transfer around US$50 million a
month in tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinians, has plunged the
West Bank and Gaza into financial crisis.
The Kremlin official said in a statement that the meeting "will be oriented
toward a search for ways to restore dialogue on crucial aspects" of the peace
process, focusing on implementation of the stalled "road map" peace plan
endorsed by the Quartet of Mideast negotiators - Russia, the United States, the
European Union and the United Nations.
The official said Putin and Abbas would also discuss "what Russia could do
additionally" to help improve the situation, revive Israeli-Palestinian contacts
and encourage the sides to reach agreements on security and other issues.
Aid to the Palestinians will also be a significant topic. The official said
that Russia, which transferred US$10 million to an account controlled by Abbas
earlier this month, "intends to continue to help the Palestinian Authority in
establishing a normal life for the Palestinian people."
|
