Russian president backs modern Palestinian state

Jordan's King Abdullah II meets in Amman with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev, who reaffirmed the previous day during a visit to the West Bank Moscow's support for an independent Palestinian state and said there would be no peace progress without a move on Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. -AFP Photo

AMMAN: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says hes committed to helping the Palestinian acquire a modern, unified and sovereign state.

Medvedev is in Jordan, where he also is chairing a religious ceremony at a site on the Jordan River where Jesus is said to have been baptized. A priest will splash Medvedev with river water in a symbolic commemoration of the baptism.

Medvedev held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank on Tuesday. He gave a political boost to the Palestinians by backing their claim to east Jerusalem as a capital and their demand that Israel must freeze all settlement construction before peace talks can resume.

On Wednesday, Medvedev told his Jordanian hosts that Russia feels responsible toward the Mideast peace process.


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