Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (R) and visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev attend a press conference in Cairo, capital of Egypt, June 23, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Ning)
The visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday that Moscow plans to hold a Middle East peace conference under the framework of two-state solution by the end of this year.
"Russia is exerting its best efforts to resume the peace talks in the Middle East according to the two-state solution and freezing settlements," Medvedev said at a joint press conference after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
"We thank Egyptian president for his efforts to build mutual trust and cooperation in the Mideast," Medvedev said, adding that "We plan to hold before the end of this year a Moscow Middle East Conference."
The idea was hailed by Mubarak, who said "Russia is one of the greatest countries in the world and has clout on the Mideast peace process."
However, he said all the efforts should be collected to achieve Middle East peace. "Peace can not be achieved through one power. All efforts and powers, including the Russian, the Americans and those who love peace, should participate to solve the Palestinian cause," Mubarak said.
Medvedev arrived on Tuesday in Egypt, his first stop of an African tour that also includes Nigeria, Namibia and Angola.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (R) talks to visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during a press conference in Cairo, capital of Egypt, June 23, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Ning)
It is the first visit for the Russian president to Egypt at the invitation of Mubarak, who visited Russia in 2008.
Russia, whose predecessor has played a much bigger role in the region, proposed in January a Middle East peace conference to be held in the first half of 2009.
The proposal was welcomed by Palestinians and Arabs, but snubbed by the United States and Israel, which were fretted about Russia's engagement with militant Hamas and its military aid to the moderate Palestinian National Authority(PNA).
On May 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Hamas' exiled politburo chief Khaled Meshaal in Damascus, which drew criticism from Israel.
Russia has also promised to provide 50 armored vehicles to the PNA. This move is at odds with the Israeli leadership, which favors a demilitarized Palestinian state beside the Jewish country.
Source: Xinhua
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