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Russia Says Palestinians Voted for Normalization with Israel
January 11, Preliminary results from the Palestinian Autonomy show that head of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization Mahmoud Abbas has won the election to head that state. Aleksandr Yakovenko, an official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told the RIA Novosti new agency Monday that that shows the Palestinian people's desire for normalization of relations with Israel.
Yakovenko added that Moscow hopes that the Palestinians under Abbas's leadership would take active steps towards normalizing the situation in the Middle East.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated chairman of the PLO Abbas on his election victory, RIA Novosti also reports. Putin's message to Abbas was delivered by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aleksandr Saltanov.
I am sure that rich political experience will allow you effectively to fulfill the great mission the Palestinian people have entrusted you with in the interests of realizing its aspirations to found its own independent state in safe and peaceful coexistence with Israel, Putin wrote.
Putin also expressed his readiness for mutual cooperation with the new leader in the interests of the further development of the traditionally friendly relations between the Russians and the Palestinians.
According to official results, Abbas received 62.3 percent of the vote. Aleksandr Kalugin, special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for the Middle East and one of 20 Russian elections observers, described Abbas as experienced and rather moderate.
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