Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend A.Gasimova / Mahmud Abbas's visit to Moscow testifies the status and special role that Russia plays in the process of Near Eastern settlement, said the Chairman of the International Committee of the Federation Council of Russia, Mikhail Margelov. Mahmud Abbas made a visit to Russia's capital between 29 and 31 July. During the meeting with him, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, said that Russia recognize Mahmud Abbas as legal leader of Palestinian people. The Head of Russia voiced his hope that Abbas will make all the best to re-establish unity of Palestinian people.
Margelov said on 1 August by telephone from Moscow that Kremlin has always insisted on dialogue between leading political movements of Palestine, FATEH and HAMAS, as well as between HAMAS and West. "The occurring events are taking place due to the absence of such dialogue. In essence, Palestine has divided into two parts and it is very difficult to normalize the relations. Russia recognizes Mahmud Abbas as the leader of unified Palestinian State, but it is impossible to exclude HAMAS from the political life and governance of the Autonomy," the politician said.
According to Margelov, Palestinian Autonomy is a unified State, and therefore, each humanitarian assistance should be provided to all inhabitants of the Autonomy and the political talks should be held with all political forces. "It is important to ensure dominancy of the law in Palestine and later, to continue movement to establish independent Palestinian State within international agreements," Margelov said.
According to him, such unity may be reached only through re-establishing dialogue between FATEH and HAMAS. " Russia, who promotes working relations with FATEH and HAMAS, can assist in establishing such dialogue. Thus it will be possible to mitigate humanitarian catastrophe in the Gas sector and even to reach controllability and stability" Margelov added.
"Unless the problem in the Gas sector is not resolved, each effort to continue Palestinian-Israeli settlement will be difficult and hundreds of thousands of people will incur hunger," the politician concluded.
The conflict between HAMAS and FATEH after HAMAS's victory in the parliamentary elections in Palestinian Autonomy in January 2006.