News

11 July 2003 16:54

INTERVIEW WITH RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO AHEAD OF RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV'S VISIT TO MIDDLE EAST

1609-11-07-2003

Question: What can you say about Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov's forthcoming visit to the Middle East countries? What issues will be on the agenda?

Answer: Igor Ivanov's visit to the Middle East scheduled for July 13th-17th is his first trip of such scale in the last three years, with regard to the number of countries he is to visit. During this time the region has witnessed serious changes that influenced both the Arab-Israeli relations and the regional balance of forces, which requires consideration for and working out of a policy that is adequate in the current situation. The problem of the Middle East settlement as the most acute and affecting the interests of almost all states in the region and the world community on the whole will be the centerpiece of the forthcoming talks.

The need now appears to secure the positive changes that have already been achieved in the process. The work in this direction naturally requires intensive contacts between all interested parties and it will be the focus of the Russian Foreign Minister's talks in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and on the territories of the Palestinian National Authority /PNA/.

Along with the issues of security around the Palestinian territories, the minister intends to discuss further measures to normalize the situation in compliance with the Roadmap. This means completion of the steps provided in its first stage, such as further withdrawal of the Israeli troops to the position as of September 28, 2000, restructuring of Palestinian special services and increased efficiency of anti-terrorist fight, freezing of settlement activities, preparation and holding of Palestinian elections, adoption of the constitution.

At the same time we should not linger over preparing all aspects for starting the Roadmap's second stage, which provides for proclamation of an independent Palestinian state within temporary borders.

Apart from this, the forthcoming negotiations will be used to further promote bilateral cooperation. Russia has traditionally had relations of confidential political dialog and comprehensive interaction with all the countries the minister will be visiting. We believe that promotion of bilateral relations both is in line with our mutual interests and contributes to strengthening stability in the Middle East.

Q.: What is Russia's role in the Roadmap implementation? What are current developments in the Middle East peace process?

A.: Russia as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and one of the quartet of international Middle East mediators has an important role in ensuring the successful implementation of the Roadmap that was worked out by the quartet last year, made public at the end of April this year and approved by both parties.

The last ministerial session of the quartet held on June 22nd in Jordan testified to the fact that the quartet and the settlement plan it had proposed are necessary for the two parties that are beginning to realize that the only alternative is to stop violence and to look for a settlement via political negotiations. Since the Roadmap was adopted by the Israelis and Palestinians, a number of important steps have been carried out. It was mainly due to the active assistance of the quartet and regional parties. We appreciate the US active participation which revealed itself in the results of the Sharm-al-Sheikh and Aqaba summits on June 3-4, 2003.

We welcome the achievement of a principal agreement to withdraw Israeli troops from some of the Palestinian regions, where the PNA authorities will ensure security from now on. Consent of leading Palestinian organizations to cease anti-Israeli actions contributed to this.

However, taking into account the extreme acuteness of the situation and still remaining lack of trust between the two parties, they would naturally have difficulties trying to reach reconciliation on their own. In this context special significance is attached to the mechanism of outside monitoring over the fulfillment of the obligations the parties committed themselves to. It will act as a stabilizer of the peace process. We welcome the efforts the USA has already taken in this direction and are ready to join them.

As we have repeatedly noted, the importance of the Roadmap lies in its aiming at not only settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but also at showing a way to achieve a comprehensive settlement in the region. This goal cannot be achieved without establishing peace between Israel and Syria and Israel and Lebanon.

In this connection we consider it necessary to start thinking how to resume negotiations in the Syrian and Lebanese directions of the peace process already now. It would be logical to develop the corresponding provisions of the Roadmap in a programme of specific actions.

Q.: What other topical international and regional problems will be on the agenda of Igor Ivanov's visit to Middle East countries?

A.: The Iraqi problem will definitely be thoroughly discussed during the visit. The developments around this country affect the situation not only in the region, but also in the whole world. Russia considers it necessary to achieve an Iraqi settlement based on the international legislation and the current resolutions of the UN Security Council. The present priority is to define as soon as possible all aspects of the UN participation in the post-war Iraq on the basis of the agreements reached within the UN Security Council. It is also important that the Iraqis form their own government in the near future so that they can start solving their problems. Topical international problems related to the region will also be addressed. In this context non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is very important as their proliferation in the Middle East can lead to serious consequences for reasons well understood. Thus we intend to confirm our support to the idea of turning the Middle East into a nuclear-free zone which is supported by many states, including Egypt.

Bilateral relations

RUSSIA-PALESTINE RELATIONS

Official bilateral relations were established in 1974.

A PLO mission opened in Moscow (then was designated an Embassy of the State of Palestine in 1990). In 1995, Russia’s representative office in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) opened in Gaza. In 2004, it was moved to Ramallah on the West Bank.

In 1998, the Palestinian Friendship Society with Russia was established (with Mahmoud Abbas as honorary chairman). In 2001, the Russian-Palestinian Friendship Society was re-established. In 2008, the Russian-Palestinian Business Council was set up.

Russia supported UN Resolution A/RES/67/19 adopted by the General Assembly on November 29, 2012, which granted Palestine observer status at the UN.

Russia and Palestine have traditionally maintained an active political dialogue, including at the highest level. The Presidents of the Russian Federation visited the Palestinian territories in April 2005, January 2011, and June 2012.

In November 2016, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev paid a working visit to Palestine, where he met with Mahmoud Abbas. Bilateral documents were signed on encouragement and mutual protection of investments, on cross-culture days in 2016-2017, on cooperation between Chambers of Commerce and Industry and on the creation of industrial cities and industrial free zones.

President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas visited Russia in January 2005, May 2006, July 2007, April and December 2008, April 2009, January 2010, March 2011, January 2012, March 2013, January and June 2014, April, May and September 2015, April 2016, and May 2017.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the Palestinian territories in September 2004, October 2005, September 2006, June 2007, March 2008, February 2009 and June 2010 during working trips to the Middle East. He regularly meets with Mahmoud Abbas in New York on the sidelines of UN General Assembly sessions (annually in September).

In February 2014, State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin visited Palestine and met with President Mahmoud Abbas. Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko visited Palestine (as well as Israel) on February 2-4, 2016; she was received by Mahmoud Abbas and visited the facilities built in Bethlehem with Russian funding.

Russia is a participant in the Quartet on the Middle East set up in 2001 (along with the United States, the EU and the UN), which provides external support and mediation for the Arab-Israeli peace process. The Quartet holds regular meetings at the level of foreign minister and their special representatives.

During President Mahmoud Abbas’s visit to Russia in April 2015, an Agreement was signed establishing the Russian-Palestinian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation. The Russian co-chairman of the Commission is the Minister of Labour and Social Protection Maxim Topilin; the Palestinian co-chairman is Palestine’s Economy Minister Abir Awda.

The Commission first met in Ramallah on March 12-16, 2016; the second meeting took place on April 5-7, 2017 in Moscow. The members reaffirmed the importance of working to eliminate trade barriers that impede the development of comprehensive bilateral trade and economic ties. Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of National Economy of Palestine were entrusted with this work. The third meeting of the Commission is to be held in Palestine in 2018.

Since the mid-1970s, Russia has been providing various types of assistance to Palestine: training specialists in Russian universities, other training programmes, free medical assistance, etc.

In January 2009, the Russian Government provided humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, who suffered from the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas. On January 2 and January 6-7, 2009, two humanitarian aid consignments (about 110 tonnes) containing tents, blankets, meat and dairy products, baby food, medicines and medical supplies, and power generators were delivered by four EMERCOM aircraft to the airport in El-Arish (Egypt). The food and supplies were donated to an Egyptian charitable organisation for further delivery to Gaza.

In May 2006, September 2008, October 2010 and August 2013, Russia provided humanitarian financial assistance to Palestine for priority social needs. In December 2015, Palestine received targeted humanitarian financial assistance for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

More humanitarian aid to Gaza residents, including food, medicines and tents, was provided in August 2007, June 2008, January 2009, December 2012 and November 2014.

In August 2012, Russia provided financial assistance for the renovation and restoration of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem as part of efforts to preserve the Christian heritage in the Holy Land. In March 2016, the Russian Government issued a directive to finance the restoration of the historical and religious centre of Bethlehem – Star Street, adjacent to the square in front of the Church of the Nativity.

In October 2010, the construction of a museum and park complex in Jericho was completed. Dmitry Medvedev attended the opening ceremony in January 2011. On June 26, 2012, Vladimir Putin and Mahmoud Abbas attended the unveiling of the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Bethlehem. On September 1, 2014, a secondary general school with in-depth Russian language courses opened in Bethlehem, co-financed by Russia. In May 2017, Bethlehem opened a multifunctional complex, also built with Russian funding, including a martial arts school, a music school and a business center.

Russia and Palestine have signed a number of inter-governmental and inter-departmental agreements, including an agreement on education cooperation (1988), an agreement on cultural and science cooperation (1994), an agreement on trade and economic cooperation (1998), a cooperation agreement between the Russian Accounts Chamber and the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau of the Palestinian National Authority (2008), an agreement on cooperation between the two countries’ Olympic Committees (2011), an agreement on cooperation between RIA-Novosti and Palestine's WAFA news agency (2011), the Memorandum of Understanding in Agriculture (2011), the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Federal Archival Agency and the Palestinian National Archives; the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the Prosecutor General's Offices of Russia and Palestine (2013), an agreement on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters (2014), the Memorandum of Understanding between the Healthcare Ministries of Russia and Palestine (2014), an agreement on the establishment of the Russian-Palestinian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation (2015), the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Russian Ministry of Communications and Mass Media and the Ministry of Telecom and Information Technology of the State of Palestine in telecommunications, information technology and mass media (2015), and an agreement between Russia’s Federal Service for Financial Monitoring and the Financial Follow-Up Unit of the State of Palestine on cooperation in countering the legalisation of proceeds from crime (money laundering) and the financing of terrorism (2015). An agreement on the encouragement and mutual protection of investments was signed in Jericho on November 11, 2016, during Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Palestine.

State of Palestine

THE STATE OF PALESTINE

Palestine is an emerging state. It will be established on the West Bank of the River Jordan and the Gaza Strip as a result of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations on the final status of the Palestinian territories.

Population: About 4.67 million (2.87 million on the West Bank, and 1.8 million in the Gaza Strip). Population density: 4,000 per sq. km in Gaza; 445 on the West Bank. About 6 million Palestinians live in other countries (up to 4 million in the Arab countries, about 800,000 in the United States and Latin America). Many have the official status of refugees and displaced persons or are stateless.

The West Bank is also home to Israeli citizens, in the so-called Jewish settlements, who live there in violation of international norms: 285,000 people in 126 permanent settlements, 3,000 people in 100 temporary settlements (so-called outposts), and up to 200,000 people in 23 settlements known as the Jewish neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.

Education: The education level in the Palestinian territories is one of the highest in the Middle East (only 3.7 percent of the population is illiterate).

Religion: Over 98 percent are Sunni Muslims; the rest are Christians, mostly Orthodox and Catholics. Most Christian Palestinians reside in the West Bank: in East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah and Jericho, as well as in small settlements.

Official language: Arabic. English is also widespread, and many Palestinians speak Hebrew.

Area: More than 6,000 sq. km (the West Bank 5,655 sq. km, the Gaza Strip, 365 sq. km.). These two separated and borderless territorial entities both border on Israel and each of them, separately, on Jordan and Egypt, respectively. Administratively, Palestine is divided into 16 governorates (11 on the West Bank and 5 in Gaza). The Governors are appointed by the President of the State of Palestine and mostly perform economic and administrative functions in coordination with the mayoralties and municipalities.

The largest Palestinian cities on the West Bank are Hebron (195,000 people), Nablus (143,000), the Ramallah and al-Bireh metropolitan area (77,000), Jenin (45,000), Bethlehem (29,000); and the Gaza Strip includes Gaza (532,000), Khan Yunis (168,000), Rafah (147,000), and Deir al-Balah (65,000).

Gaza Strip: After the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and settlements in September 2005, the Gaza Strip became an isolated territory, permanently blocked by Israelis for security reasons or as a pressure tool on the Hamas authorities (Hamas has built around 120 tunnels on the border with Egypt for smuggling food and weapons to Gaza).

The West Bank has a restricted movement regime introduced by Israel in 2000. All cities and large settlements are surrounded by 630 Israeli checkpoints; all transport and passenger traffic goes through them. The remaining roads are blocked by concrete barriers or earth banks.

Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) was elected the leader of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in January 2005. In November 2008, the Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) elected Abbas President of the State of Palestine (the State of Palestine was proclaimed at the Palestinian Central Council session in Algeria in 1988. The first President was Yasser Arafat). On December 16, 2009, the PLO Central Council extended President Abbas’s term as the Head of Palestine.

Supreme legislative authority: The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) swept 74 of 132 deputy mandates on the January 25, 2006 elections. The Speaker of the PLC is Abdel Aziz Duwaik. On December 16, 2009, the PLO Central Council extended the term of the PLC until the elections.

At present, the PLC’s activities are paralysed by the intra-Palestinian split. Moreover, several dozen of its members (most of them supporters of Hamas) were arrested by Israelis for political reasons and are serving various terms in Israeli prisons.

Executive authority: These functions are divided between the President and the Government in accordance with the Constitution.

As a result of the conflict between the two main Palestinian political parties, Fatah and Hamas, and the resulting Palestinian Civil War of 2006-2007, the West Bank is controlled by Fatah authorities. The Hamas government in Gaza, led by Yahya Sinwar (elected in 2017), has its own forces and functions almost autonomously from the central authorities in the West Bank. Efforts to restore intra-Palestinian unity have been made since 2011, with the assistance of the Russian Federation. Intra-Palestinian meetings are held regularly, some of them in Moscow.

On April 22, 2014, a Palestinian delegation from the West Bank visited the Gaza Strip. The intra-Palestinian meeting resulted in an agreement to form a Palestinian “government of technocrats” and hold general elections. On June 2, 2014, Mahmoud Abbas swore in the new government. The Cabinet consists of 16 ministers who represent both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. All ministers are politically neutral. Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, his deputies, and a number of ministers retained their posts in the new Cabinet.

Political movements and parties are mainly represented by groups from the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO): the Palestine Liberation Movement (Fatah), the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the Palestinian People's Party (formerly Communist), Palestine Democratic Union (FIDA), etc. The radical Islamist movements Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) are political opponents of the PLO groups.

Security forces: According to Palestinian-Israeli agreements, Palestine was given the right to create law enforcement agencies. These are the Ministry of Interior, the Preventive Security Service (PSS), the Palestinian Presidential Guard (PPG), and the Palestinian Civil Defence (PCD), with a total staff of no more than 30,000.

Economy: The economy of Palestine relies on agriculture, fishing, tourism, and handicrafts; 62 percent of the population is engaged in non-manufacturing industries.

In recent years, the Palestinian economy has suffered a deep structural crisis – a decline in industrial and agricultural production. The main problems stem from the restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities on the movement of people and goods in the Palestinian territories and its traditional dependence on exports to Israel (up to 90 percent of manufactured goods go to Israel). Moreover, the Palestinian authorities do not have their own border control agencies and, as a consequence, cannot independently engage in foreign economic activities.

In practical terms, Palestinian business entities on the West Bank frequently face shutdowns (a separation wall, security zones in the settlement areas, and right-of-way around military facilities). As a result, the Palestinians are denied access to about 50 percent of the West Bank territory, including to most of the fertile soil in the Jordan River valley.

Gaza is in an even more complicated situation. As a result of the ongoing Israeli blockade of the strip since 2006, there is a growing deficit of food, medicine and fuel. The public’s need for petroleum products is met at the minimum amount – no more than 15-20 percent on average. As a result, electricity distribution levels to public and business infrastructure has decreased, which has affected water distribution and sewerage, and agricultural machinery can only be used on a limited basis (agriculture forms the backbone of the Gaza economy). Due to severe restrictions on the supply of various types of raw materials, construction materials, components and spare parts to Gaza, its manufacturing industry is also idle.

The unemployment rate has reached 41 percent (24 percent in the West Bank).

Military and political situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone is extremely unstable: periods of relative calm alternate with spikes in tension, including armed standoff. The confrontation intensified after Hamas came to power in January 2006. Along with regular Israeli raids on the West Bank to suppress any extremist anti-Israeli activity, the Israelis periodically carry out special operations in Gaza, including military invasions in response to various instances of Palestinian shelling of Israeli territory with homemade Qassam rockets. Some 3,600 Palestinians have been killed in major Israeli retaliatory attacks on the Gaza Strip since 2008 (as a result of Operation Cast Lead, Returning Echo, Pillar of Defence, Protective Edge). Hundreds of families have been left homeless. The social infrastructure (hospitals, schools) has suffered significant damage.

The main sites in border skirmishes are the contact lines between Palestinian and Israeli settlements, and military facilities on the West Bank, including checkpoints on the main exit roads from Palestinian cities.

Foreign policy: Palestinian leaders maintain active political contact with most countries, mainly trying to rally international support in the Palestinian-Israeli settlement process.

To date, Palestine is recognised as a sovereign state by 136 countries (among the UN Security Council permanent members – by Russia and China). Palestinian embassies and permanent missions operate in 94 countries.

The State of Palestine is represented in a number of international organisations, associations and unions (as a member, associate member or observer), including LAS, OIC, UNESCO, the Group of 77, the ICRC, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Union for the Mediterranean.