Palestinian-Israeli summit in Jerusalem – Press conference by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman- Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry press release/Non-UN document

Unofficial translation from Russian

Mikhail Kamynin, the Spokesman of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Answers a Media Question Regarding the Palestinian-Israeli summit in Jerusalem with the Participation of Condoleezza Rice

218-20-02-2007 

Question: A three-way meeting in the Mahmoud Abbas – Ehud Olmert – Condoleezza Rice format took place in West Jerusalem on February 19. Its results rather evoke sadness. Except the intention to hold a new round of talks in the future, no substantive accords have been announced. How could you comment upon all this?

Answer: I would not hasten with generalizations. Based on preliminary information we at this moment have in hand, the meeting held in Jerusalem has indeed brought no breakthrough decisions. According to media reports, in the course of this summit the sides reaffirmed their adherence to previously signed agreements as well as to the principle of the coexistence of two states – Israel and the future Palestinian. Frankly speaking, we as realists had in fact not awaited any sensations.

At the same time we consider that to sum up the summit results in a substantive fashion will only be possible after the Quartet has heard at its ministerial meeting in Berlin on February 21 the appropriate summary of Condoleezza Rice, who carried out her brokering mission with concurrence of the Quartet participants.

Be that as it may, we presume that the Jerusalem meeting between the PNA Head and the Israeli Prime Minister was in itself a necessary event. It is important that Palestinian-Israeli contacts at this level should acquire a regular and substantive character. This should help the parties jointly tackle existing problems and use the chance to break the deadlock in negotiations that the recent inter-Palestinian Mecca accord gives, in our opinion.

February 20, 2007