Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said in Moscow Friday that he hoped to discuss with President Vladimir Putin "a Russian initiative" for ending the two-month-long cycle of violence in the Middle East.
Arafat told reporters on arriving at Moscow airport that there was still hope for a political solution to the crisis that has left more than 250 people dead in the Palestinian territories since September.
He added that he expected to continue the "detailed and deep talks" he had begun with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who visited the Palestinian territories last week.
Analysts here suggested that Arafat could be seeking to use the talks with Putin to appeal to Russia, a co-sponsor of the stalled Middle East peace process, to honor the Kremlin's long-standing support for the Palestinians -- MOSCOW (AFP)
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