Hamas has indicated a desire to continue working with Russia on Middle East peace efforts, the group's foreign issues spokesman said on Monday.

The statement comes after Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow earlier today.

"We hope to not only continue talks but also to find new approaches to the Middle East's problems," Hamdan said, adding that Russia's willingness to help attain Palestinian unity was "very important" to them.

Palestinian National Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas visited Moscow at the end of January.

Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip after kicking Abbas's Fatah party out of the enclave in the summer of 2007. Fatah now governs the West Bank. The groups are holding reconciliation talks mediated by Egypt, which proposed presidential and parliamentary elections in the summer.

MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti)