Moscow believes Arafat's policy course could contribute to settling Palestine-Israel confrontation

Once implemented, the course outlined by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat "would contribute to settling the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation and resuming the Middle East settlement in line with the generally recognised international-legal base including resolutions 242, 338 and 1397 of the UN Security Council, the Arab peace initiative and earlier reached agreements and accords," reads a statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Press and Information Department.

The document reads further that Moscow "has attentively considered" Arafat's statements made at the seventh session of the Palestinian legislative council that was launched in Ramallah on September 9th. "It is of principled importance that the Palestinian administration confirms its opting for the achievement of peace with Israel by way of negotiations and its readiness to co-operate with the international community in the fight against international terrorism. It also highly praises the peace-keeping efforts by the Four international mediators - Russia, the US, the EU and the UN," the statement continues.

"Yasser Arafat's condemnation of terrorist acts against Israeli civilians as well as his clearly stated intention to persevere with reforming the Palestinian National Authority on a democratic basis comply with the efforts being made by the Four mediators to settle the crisis in the Middle East," the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Press and Information Department concludes.