MOSCOW, February 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will adhere to the position agreed with its three partners acting as intermediaries in the Middle East peace process during talks with representatives of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas, preliminarily scheduled for early March, the foreign minister said Friday.
Russia is a member of the Middle East Quartet with the United Nations, the United States and the European Union.
"Both the president and I have repeatedly stated that we will follow the line agreed within the Quartet of intermediaries and will continue working with the leadership of Hamas as many leaders of Middle Eastern countries do," Sergei Lavrov said.
The minister said he hoped this would make Hamas, which won the January elections in the Palestinian National Authority, a legitimate part of processes in the Middle East.
"We are currently considering the composition of the delegations that are to meet in Moscow, and we are waiting for proposals from Hamas," Lavrov said.
Vladimir Putin announced on February 9 that Russia would invite a Hamas delegation to the Russian capital for talks, a move that angered Israel. Hamas has yet to recognize the Jewish state's right to exist and has claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks there in the past.
On Thursday, Russia was reported to have delivered an official invitation to Haled Mashal, the head of the movement.
