Russia welcomes relaunch of Israeli and Palestinian dialogue

Moscow welcomes the relaunch of negotiations between Israel and Palestine, Russian Foreign Ministry said. The first since September 2010 direct contacts between Israel and Palestine were held on January 3 in Jordan with the participation of special representatives of Middle East Quartet, made up of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia, and Jordan’s Foreign Ministry Nasser Judeh. Russia was represented by its special envoy in the Quartet Director of the Foreign Ministry Middle East and North Africa Department Sergei Vershinin. “Moscow welcomes the beginning of Israeli and Palestinian direct contacts that can resume negotiation process,” said in the statement. The talks between the two sides fell apart in September 2010 over disagreements on the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.The Palestinians said they would not resume negotiations unless the building stopped.