Russia tells Hamas to recognize Israel

Moscow, 3 March (AKI) - Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told a high level Hamas delegation visiting Moscow that the radical Palestinian movement must recognise Israel. At a news conference after Friday's talks, Lavrov said he had insisted that all the views laid out by the Quartet group, that includes the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, must be respected.

"That means above all the need to stick by all existing agreements, the need to recognise the right of Israel to exist as a partner in negotiations (and) the need to reject all armed methods of settling political questions," the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

The Hamas delegation, headed by the Islamist group's exiled political leader Khaled Meshaal arrived in Russia on Friday for talks that mark the first meeting with a major foreign power since Hamas won the Palestinian elections in January.

Before the talks the group reiterated its stance against Israel.

"The issue of recognition is a done issue. We are not going to recognise Israel," Mohammed Nazzal, a senior member of the delegation told reporters after arriving in Moscow.

Meshal said Friday that Israel must withdraw from territories occupied in 1967 and allow return of Palestinian refugees if it wants peace.

Meshal said that if Israel took these steps, "our movement will have taken a big step toward peace."

He welcomed the outcome of high-level talks with Russian officials - in which Hamas faced pressure to soften its hostility to Israel and abandon violence.

The talks were "good, constructive and open," Meshal said after meeting with Lavrov and other Russian officials.