WEST BANK: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reaffirms Soviet recognition of a Palestinian state

Record ID: 560038

  • Title: WEST BANK: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reaffirms Soviet recognition of a Palestinian state
  • Date: 19th January 2011
  • Summary: JERICHO, WEST BANK (JANUARY 18, 2011) (REUTERS) ( * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) WIDE OF EMPTY STREET
  • Embargoed: 3rd February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank, West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA5LEMEW51DTFVLV8NOAKF1PL95
  • Story Text: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday (January 18) Moscow had recognised an independent Palestinian state in 1988 and was not changing that position adopted by the former Soviet Union. But on his first visit to the Israeli-occupied West Bank as Russian head of state, Medvedev stopped short of making a declaration of recognition of Palestinian statehood by the Russian Federation that he represents.
    Israel has been alarmed in the past two months by a string of recognitions by Latin American states including Brazil and Argentina which some analysts say could be a precursor to a move by the Palestinians to seek full United Nations membership.
    The Soviet Union recognised a Palestinian state in 1988, after it was declared by the late Yasser Arafat in a move that won broad support in the Communist bloc and Third World but had little real impact on diplomatic and political realities.
    The Russian President arrived on in the West Bank, on a rare trip in a bid to revive stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks after their collapse at the end of last year. A strike by Israeli diplomats earlier this month forced Medvedev to cancel a visit to Israel, leading him to reduce the Middle East trip to just the West Bank and Amman, where he will hold talks with Jordan's King Abdullah on January 18-19, the Kremlin said.
    His trip comes ahead of next month's meeting of the quartet of Middle East mediators -- Russia, the European Union, the United Nations and the United States -- who will convene in Munich to consider how to resuscitate the talks.
    U.S. diplomatic efforts to revive direct peace talks between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu collapsed late last year after Israel refused to extend a 10-month partial freeze on settlement-building in the occupied West Bank. Medvedev's trip is rare: the last time a Russian leader visited the West Bank was then-president and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, in 2005. Though a long-time partner of Israel, Russia has also signed deals to sell Syria warplanes, anti-tank weapons and air defence systems, prompting anger from Syria's regional foe. Israel said it was "disappointed" when Medvedev met last year with Khaled Meshaal, the exiled leader of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
    Later in the day, Medvedev and Abbas are expected to inaugurate a Russian museum in Jericho.
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