Moscow Bothered by Attempts to Downplay Palestinian Issue: Lavrov
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Moscow is worried about the state of the settlement between Palestinians and Israelis, as the US decision on Jerusalem (al-Quds) has led it to deadlock.
Moscow would like to see a more active role for the Middle East quartet of mediators in the Israeli-Palestinian settlement, according to the Russian foreign minister.
"We are very concerned about the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli settlement; it is at a dead end. Moreover, the impasse is getting deeper, especially in the light of the US decisions on Jerusalem (al-Quds)," Sergei Lavrov said during a meeting with UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nikolai Mladenov, Sputnik reported.
He noted that Moscow is concerned by attempts to change the configuration of the geopolitical map of the Middle East in such a way as to "push the Palestinian problem to the background."
"Unfortunately, it has not been like this so far, but I expect to discuss with you today how we can make sure that the quartet, as a generally recognized mediator in Middle East processes, and UN decisions dedicated to the Palestinian-Israeli settlement are not forgotten," he said.
US President Donald Trump in December 2017 announced the recognition of Jerusalem (al-Quds) as the capital of Israel and decided to transfer the American embassy to the city from its current location in Tel Aviv. Trump's decision prompted riots among Palestinians and protests in several Arab countries.
