MOSCOW, July 31: Russia said on Tuesday it was reducing contacts with the Hamas movement but would not abandon ties with the group in order to promote “dialogue” in the Palestinian conflict.Moscow also affirmed its support for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas who held talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

“I want to assure you that we will support you as the lawful leader of the Palestinian people. We are certain that you will do everything to secure unity,” Putin told Abbas at the start of talks in Moscow.

Abbas, who leads the Fatah party opposed to Hamas, said he would make “every possible effort” to unite the Palestinians following a bloody takeover of the Gaza Strip last month by Hamas.

Ahead of the meeting with Putin in the Kremlin, the Palestinian president said he would be looking for ways in which Russia could help resolve the “internal political deadlock” in the Palestinian territories.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister, who took part in the Kremlin talks with Abbas, said after the meeting that Moscow had recently downgraded its contacts with Hamas, but would keep ties to foster Palestinian “dialogue.” “We have somewhat reduced our ties with Hamas recently, and maintain contacts with them with one practical, pragmatic goal... to establish dialogue and unity among the Palestinians. That’s our only goal,” Andrei Denisov said.

Speaking to reporters through an interpreter after the meeting, Abbas said Hamas should give up control of the Gaza Strip and take responsibility for its actions before any talks.

“The situation must return to what it was ahead of the coup before there can be a normalisation” of contacts and Hamas “should recognise its guilt and apologise for its crimes”, Abbas said.

Russia has carved out a unique position in Middle East diplomacy by maintaining contacts both with Fatah and Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States.

Hamas has signalled its readiness for Russian mediation in the conflict.

Denisov said Russia also planned to boost humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories, and might provide 50 armoured personnel carriers and other equipment for the West Bank, which Fatah controls.

Putin has worked steadily to boost Russia’s presence in the Middle East, though Russia’s official contacts with Hamas – including a Moscow visit by the group’s chief Khaled Meshaal in February – have been criticised in the West.

Denisov stressed that there were no meetings planned between Hamas representatives and the Russian government, and that Moscow was speaking with the Hamas leadership in Syria and not in the Gaza Strip.—AFP