Russian president writes to Abbas of his support

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev welcomed the reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas and applauded efforts to attain Palestinian statehood in a letter to President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday, official media reported. The head of Russia's mission to the Palestinian Authority Alexander Rudakov delivered the letter to general secretary of the Palestinian presidency al-Tayeb Abdul Rahim at the PA headquarters in Ramallah, PA news agency Wafa said. Medvedev said Russia will continue supporting the PA's state-building agenda, and confirmed Russian support to Palestinians and their goal of an independent state. "For Palestine to have its national sovereignty will help to reach a solution in the Middle East," the letter said, according to the report. The Russian president also praised the steps taken by Fatah and Hamas to implement a reconciliation deal ending the hostility that split Palestinians into separate administrations in Gaza and the West Bank, after party heads met in Cairo on Thursday. Abdul Rahim thanked Russia for its continued support to Palestinians, the report said.