Lavrov: Many western countries admitted that Hamas isolation was “unfruitful”

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has asserted that his country did not halt contacts with the Hamas Movement, adding that time has proven the correctness of the Russian position in this regard.

He told a press conference in Ramallah after talks with ex-PA chief Mahmoud Abbas that many western countries were now admitting that isolating Hamas was “not fruitful”.

The Russian chief diplomat said that Moscow was currently holding contacts with Hamas to ensure success of the conference for cementing Palestinian national unity slated for 22/2/2009 in Cairo.

He explained that Russian contacts with Hamas aimed at urging the Movement to forge national unity on the basis of the PLO principles.

Lavrov underlined that his country would participate in the international conference to reconstruct Gaza to be held in Cairo on 2/3/2009.