Russian foreign minister hold talks with Algerian, Jordanian, Palestinian counterparts

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Tuesday with his Algerian, Jordanian and Palestinian counterparts in New York ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the meeting with Ahmed Attaf from Algeria contained an exchange of views on current issues on the international and regional agenda, with an emphasis on the Gaza conflict.

It said particular attention was paid to coordinating efforts at the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the UN General Assembly (UNGA) “aimed at a ceasefire and ensuring unhindered humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.”

A separate statement said Lavrov met his Palestinian counterpart, Riyad al-Maliki, and they discussed issues related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, primarily in the Gaza Strip.

“The importance of an early end to the bloodshed and the resumption of the Middle East settlement process on a generally recognized international legal basis, providing for the creation of the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem, living in peace and security with Israel, was emphasized,” it said.

Another statement said a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi exchanged key issues regarding the Middle East, with a focus on the ongoing escalation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone.

The statement said Lavrov and Safadi emphasized the importance of a cease-fire in Gaza and transferring the situation into a political and diplomatic channel based on decisions of the UNSC and the UNGA.

“The closeness of Russia's and Jordan's approaches to resolving, on the basis of compliance with international law, crisis situations in the Middle East that have a negative impact on regional and global stability and security was confirmed,” it said.

The statements noted that the meetings discussed strengthening relations between Russia and the respective countries.