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EU, Russia share same position on truce in Gaza: Russian FM

Other News Materials 11 February 2009 14:59 (UTC +04:00)

The EU and  Russia support the Egypt-brokered ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, the Vesti television channel quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as saying.

An EU delegation including High Representative of Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commissioner on External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero Waldner and Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg are meeting in Moscow today with Lavrov. This is first high-level meeting since the Russian-EU November summit in Nice.

The major requirement for both Palestine and Israel is to meet the ceasefire principles and stop any form of aggression, Lavrov said.

"The EU and Russia share the same position on the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. We support advancing the same requirements for a stable truce," he added.

Egypt's initiative calls for opening all borders and signing a long-term truce in the enclave.

The League of Arab States and EU supported the document.

There is only unilateral ceasefire agreement signed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

Israel halted military operations in the Gaza Strip on Jan. 18. Hostilities lasted 22 days. Israel launched an attack on Gaza in response to rockets being fired into southern Israel.

Operation Cast Lead claimed the lives of over 1,300 Palestinians and left 5,500 wounded.

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