Patriarch Alexy II and one of Palestine leaders discuss ways to solve Palestine-Israeli conflict

Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and General Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazer) discussed possible political solutions of the Palestine-Israeli conflict in Moscow on Thursday.

Mahmud Abbas noted that Alexy was well informed of the events in the conflict zone and was very interested in peace triumphing in the world again.

"We have discussed political resolutions aimed at how to get out of the blind alley, end the occupation, the blockade and return to the negotiating table," said Mahmud Abbas.

"The Orthodox Christians," stressed the patriarch, "cannot think without pain about the human blood that is shed in the place where Christianity emerged, where the prophets and saints preached. The grief of the victims among the Arabs, Jews and other people populating the Holy Land, makes us pray for peace and do all we can to promote its establishment."

Alexy II noted that the Russian orthodox Church has repeatedly come out for the peaceful and just settlement of the situation in the Middle East - according to the will of the people who live there.

The Patriarch expressed the hope that Russia would take an active part in resolving the Mideast problem and that "peace, legality and good-neighbourly relations" would triumph on the Holy Land, and that Christian pilgrims would again be able to visit the holy places.