Russia, Palestine eye deeper political dialogue

MOSCOW - Russia and Palestine are interested in deepening political dialogue, Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov met with Palestinian ambassador to Moscow Faed Mustafa here on Monday, the ministry said in a statement.

Bogdanov and Mustafa agreed both sides have been interested in further enhancing political dialogue, while Moscow has been aimed at active support of Palestinian statehood, the ministry said.

The two diplomats also discussed the situation in the Middle East, focusing on the Palestinian-Israeli relations following the upgrading of Palestine's status in the UN, according to the ministry.

Late last month, the United Nations General Assembly voted and granted an upgrade of Palestine's status from  observer "entity" to "non-member state," which is an implicit and symbolic recognition of Palestine's statehood at the UN.

The 193 UN member states voted 138 to 9, with 41 abstentions, to support a draft resolution co-sponsored by about 70 countries, including China, Brazil, Jordan, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa. The resolution "reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to independence in their State of Palestine on the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967."

Russia voted in favor of the resolution.