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Abbas open to Russian mediation Abbas open to Russian mediation
(about 1 hour later)
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said he would welcome Russian mediation in attempts to heal the rift between the rival Fatah and Hamas movements.Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said he would welcome Russian mediation in attempts to heal the rift between the rival Fatah and Hamas movements.
Mr Abbas is on a three-day visit to Moscow to encourage Russian involvement in the Middle East peace process. Mr Abbas is in Moscow to urge Russian involvement in Middle East diplomacy.
Russia is the only member of the Quartet group of negotiators that maintains contact with Hamas, which took control of Gaza in June.Russia is the only member of the Quartet group of negotiators that maintains contact with Hamas, which took control of Gaza in June.
Correspondents say Moscow's position has annoyed Mr Abbas, who leads Fatah. But, at the start of bilateral talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gave his full backing to Mr Abbas.
The Palestinian leader is expected to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday and President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. "We firmly support you as leader of the entire Palestinian people," he said.
Correspondents say Moscow's willingness to continues ties with Hamas has annoyed Mr Abbas, who leads Fatah.
The Palestinian leader is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Conditions for talksConditions for talks
He said he wanted to raise the issue of the Hamas takeover in Gaza in June, and the possibility of an international conference on the Middle East.He said he wanted to raise the issue of the Hamas takeover in Gaza in June, and the possibility of an international conference on the Middle East.
Analysts say he will also try to persuade Moscow to sever its links with Hamas.Analysts say he will also try to persuade Moscow to sever its links with Hamas.
But in an interview for the BBC's Arabic Service, Mr Abbas said talks between Hams and Fatah were possible under certain conditions.But in an interview for the BBC's Arabic Service, Mr Abbas said talks between Hams and Fatah were possible under certain conditions.
"We have no objection, of course, to any party playing a role in the mediation between ourselves and Hamas, whether this party is our Russian friends or our brothers the Arabs," he said."We have no objection, of course, to any party playing a role in the mediation between ourselves and Hamas, whether this party is our Russian friends or our brothers the Arabs," he said.
"We say as well that if we want to start a dialogue with Hamas in order to heal the rift then they have to put an end to all of the measures they have introduced since the coup d'etat they carried out against the legitimate authority in Gaza.""We say as well that if we want to start a dialogue with Hamas in order to heal the rift then they have to put an end to all of the measures they have introduced since the coup d'etat they carried out against the legitimate authority in Gaza."