Russia plans Israeli, Palestinian Russian-speakers meet

TEL AVIV, January 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia is planning to hold a forum
in Moscow of Russian-speaking Israelis and Palestinians to search for ways
to end the conflict, head of the international affairs commission of the
Federation Council Mikhail Margelov told Russian reporters on Thursday
after meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
"People's diplomacy often helps and sometimes is ahead of the official
diplomacy," the senator said. "We plan to bring together Russian-speaking
Israelis and Russian-speaking Palestinians from the sphere of politics and
business to make the Russian language a means of inter-ethnic
communication between the neighbors."
"He (Abbas) liked the idea," Margelov said, adding the meeting has to
be arranged as soon as possible.
Margelov arrived in Israel on Sunday and has met President Shimon
Peres, several ministers, and Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin.
"The main thing we have agreed in Knesset is to form the second
permanent group in the history of Israeli parliament between the
international affairs and defense and security committees of the
Federation Council and the Knesset," Margelov said adding the group will
hold proactive discussions on issues of common interest.
"I believe it is a breakthrough decision that goes in line with
strategic Russian-Israeli dialogue and partnership. Such a group may
become a laboratory for ideas and common approaches," he said.
So far Israeli parliament had only one permanent group for dialogue
with the US Senate.
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