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Palestinian Ambassador Applauds Russian Peace Proposals
Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Khairi Al Oridi Wednesday appreciated Russia's new proposals for the settlement of the Mideast conflict as "an idea on which further agreements might be based."
The proposals, raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat last Friday, envision three stages of settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, said Al Oridi.
"At the initial stage," Oridi said, "the situation there must be calmed down and international observers must be sent to the conflict zone."
At the second stage, he said, "Israeli armed forces should be peacefully removed from the Palestinian territories and the blockade should be lifted from these territories."
And at the third stage, the ambassador added, "after the US finally decide who will be its president, talks should be started on a final settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli problem."
He also stressed the significance of setting a definite deadline for signing a final agreement between Palestine and Israel.
The ambassador believed this initiative is not a thing of the past although the Israeli side has not yet accepted it.
The Putin-Arafat summit is the latest of a string of Russia's diplomatic efforts to help end the renewed violence between the Palestinians and Israeli forces on the occupied territory. Recently, Russia has been rather active in playing its role as a co-sponsor of the Middle East peace talks, in a bid to restore its influence in the region.
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