MOSCOW. April 17 (Interfax-AVN) - Moscow will host an international conference on the Middle East this June, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas said at MGIMO University in Moscow on Thursday. The Vesti 24 channel broadcasted his speech.
He said the Moscow conference of this summer was the central subject of his current visit.
Palestinians think this conference may be very important for the Middle East settlement, he said.
Abbas said he attributed a high significance to the upcoming event.
The PNA would like the conference to take place in June, but the date has not yet been announced officially, Abbas said.
He said there was optimism about the peace initiative launched in Annapolis and hoped that the Moscow forum, which would discuss the political aspect of the initiative, could rescue the Mideast peace process.
The PNA welcomes any initiatives aimed at an inter-Palestinian settlement, Abbas said, adding that the related pressure from Israel and the United States was rejected. Negotiations with Hamas are an internal Palestinian affair, he said.