Russia welcomes Mecca deal, urges lifting freeze

Moscow, Feb 10: Russia today welcomed an agreement by rival Palestinian factions to form a unity government and appealed for the lifting of a freeze on direct aid to the Palestinian government.

''We think the future Palestinian national government ... will be an important factor in the process of reviving Israeli-Palestinian talks,'' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. ''We also believe the implementation of Mecca agreements should be combined with lifting a blockade of the Palestinian territories which has inflicted suffering and hardship on the people.''

Reuters