Abbas praises Russia's support for Palestinian Authority

rianovosti: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas praised Russia's efforts to provide aid for Palestinian Authority following an EU move to cut off direct budgetary aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The ministry said in a statement that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict during a telephone conversation with Abbas.

Lavrov said the international community should continue efforts to resume dialogue on the issue, and to "ensure stability, and solve social and humanitarian problems of the Palestinian people."

The minister said earlier this week that Moscow would continue sending aid to the Palestinian Authority, and that the international community should work with Hamas following its landslide victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections.

Lavrov also said it was extremely important to ensure compliance with all previously signed agreements in the post-election period, and that the utmost care should be taken not to jeopardize the Mideast peace process, which is paving the way for an agreement to create a sovereign Palestinian state. Link