MOSCOW, February 16 (RIA Novosti) - A delegation of Hamas, a radical movement that won the Palestinian National Authority's general elections, will arrive in Moscow early March, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
The ministry said agreement had been reached but did not specify who would head the delegation.
President Vladimir Putin announced during a visit to Spain last week that he was planning to invite the leaders of Hamas to Moscow for talks.
Hamas has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks on Israel and refuses to recognize the Jewish state as a country. Its victory has jeopardized Western aid to the Palestinian National Authority.
"Today, [we] must recognize that Hamas came to power via legitimate, democratic elections in the Palestinian National Authority, which is why we must respect the choice of the Palestinian people," Putin said.
