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Putin lays out Russian position on Hamas

Updated: 01/Feb/2006 18:51

Russia President Vladimir Putin with US counterpart George W. Bush

Photo: The White House

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Russian president Vladimir Putin has called on Palestinian group Hamas to recognise Israel and give up violence, but made clear the differences he has with the EU and US over the organisation.

Hamas surprisingly won a majority in the elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council last week, and has so far refused to change its policies towards Israel which call for the destruction of the Jewish state.

Although Putin underlined his concerns over the attitude of the Hamas leadership, he stressed that he does not support cutting funding from the Palestinian Authority if Hamas refuses to comply with international demands.

“Russia’s position on the Middle East differs from the European and American one,” Putin told a Kremlin news conference on Tuesday. “Russia has never declared Hamas a terrorist organization, but it doesn’t mean we support and accept everything Hamas has done and all the statements it has made”

Marathon meeting

The three-and-a-half hour meeting with hundreds of journalists from all over Russia was broadcast across the country and covered a wide range of topics from the local economy to the secret of Putin’s healthy looks.

Russia has never declared Hamas a terrorist organization, but it doesn’t mean we support and accept everything Hamas has done and all the statements it has made

Vladimir Putin

But it was his comments about the new ruling Palestinian party that gained most international attention.

Putin said that Hamas should “refrain from extremist declarations, acknowledge Israel’s right to exist and put its contacts with the international community in order,” Putin said.

The Russian leader described Hamas’s victory in the vote as “a strong blow” to American diplomacy in the Middle East. But he also said that he believes that it is possible that the Hamas leadership can change their attitude after taking power.

“We know that worldwide, the opposition often makes radical statements,” Putin said. “and it is a different thing when they have received a vote of confidence of the people," he said. "It is necessary to recognize Israel’s right to existence."

As yet, no Palestinian government has been formed and president Mahmoud Abbas is the main statesmen seen as being in control by the international community.

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On Monday both the EU and the so-called quartet for peace in the Middle East released strong statements saying they would not support a Hamas government which does not lay down its arms and recognize Israel.

Russia is itself a member of the quartet, alongside the EU, the US and the UN. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov represented Russia at the quartet meeting in London.

Outlining the Russian viewpoint, Lavrov said that "Russia doesn’t exclude contacts with Hamas.”

Meanwhile, defence minister Sergei Ivanov said Russia has not yet decided if it will continue to supply the Palestinians with military equipment if Hamas does not give in to international pressure.

"I can assure you that the plans we had on supplying armored personnel carriers will be implemented only based on the situation at that moment," Ivanov said.