Russia expects Hamas to make move on demands

Russia’s foreign minister said he expects the Palestinian group Hamas to move closer to meeting international demands within two weeks – including setting up foreign aid monitoring and recognising Israel, according to a newspaper interview published today.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was quoted as saying by the Vremya Novostei daily that during its recent visit to Moscow, a delegation led by Hamas political chief Khaled Mashaal promised to consider recognising the so-called road map for a Mideast peace settlement.

He said the group also promised to consider accepting an international aid monitoring mechanism, and recognising Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian president - including his authority to lead the Palestinians’ foreign policy.

“I think that in the next two weeks we will see some practical steps in these directions,” Lavrov was quoted as saying.

He warned against international attempts to isolate Hamas, saying they could lead to chaos.

“Maybe someone is counting on intervening in this situation, establishing order and destroying Hamas? But this would invite a very big war in the Middle East,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov discussed Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem’s visit to Moscow this week with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Foreign Ministry said today.

Lavrov had said yesterday that he and Moallem had agreed on the need to support an internal political dialogue in Lebanon, end illegal arms trafficking there and encourage the militant Palestinian group Hamas to observe Mideast peace accords.

Lavrov and Annan also expressed concern about the unrest in the West Bank and Gaza.

“They underlined the need to co-ordinate work of the Middle East Quartet with the aim of overcoming the crisis and renewing the peace process,” the ministry said.

Lavrov also discussed the Iranian nuclear crisis and Mideast peace process with his German and French counterparts, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Philippe Douste-Blazy.

Russia’s invitation to Hamas, extended by President Vladimir Putin, was the first crack in an international front against the group, which has sent dozens of suicide bombers to Israel.

It provoked anger in Israel and surprise among the other members of the so-called Quartet of Middle East mediators – the US, the European Union and United Nations – which had agreed to withhold international recognition from the radical Islamic movement until it moderated its stance.

Russia insisted it was acting on behalf of the entire quartet, conveying its demand to Hamas to reject violence and recognise Israel.

The Foreign Ministry said after the talks that Hamas promised to maintain a year-old ceasefire if Israel refrains from force.

In interviews with Russian media, Mashaal did not mention a promise to extend the ceasefire, and in a separate interview with Al-Jazeera television, he indicated the group had made no such promise.