Putin Urges End to Israel's Blockade on PalestineRussian President Vladimir Putin urged an end to Israel's blockade of Palestinian territories Tuesday.In his message to the ongoing Arab summit in Amman, Jordan, Putin said normalization of the Palestinian situation "can be achieved only by lifting the blockade, including the economic one, against the West Bank and Gaza." "It is also important to resume the negotiation process within the framework that guarantees legal interests of both sides, including the right of the Palestinian people to self- determination and to establish their state," he added. Putin called on all parties to "take every opportunity to resolve the crisis and restore political dialogue for peace in the Middle East," where the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian standoff has been felt since late summer. He opposed any steps to silence or disregard the Arab-Israeli dialogue. With the efforts of many years, a solid foundation has been laid and serious progress achieved, he said in the message, "All these, in our opinion, deserve the most careful treatment." Putin said Russia also welcomed a break of the long stalemate between Syria and Israel as well as between Lebanon and Israel. "There can be no comprehensive peace in the Middle East without return of the Golan Highland to Syria or a settlement between Lebanon and Israel," he said in the message. The Russian President also reiterated Russia's efforts to seek peace in the Mideast region. "Russia, as a co-sponsor of the peace process, intends to make consistent efforts towards a comprehensive Arab-Israeli settlement, including working out an operational format for international contributions to the talks," he added. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |