Russia calls not to isolate HAMAS.

MOSCOW, May 14 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian foreign ministry said on
Thursday the world community should work for Palestinian unity rather than isolate HAMAS.

"Moscow is convinced it is only the unity of all Palestinians rather
than isolation of certain trends and groups that can promote the
implementation of the demands of the international community to ensure
peace, stability and security in the Middle East," foreign ministry
spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said commenting on the meeting of Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev with HAMAS leader Khaled Mashaal in Syria.
"HAMAS is not an artificial structure, but a movement that enjoys
trust and sympathy of a big part of Palestinians," Nesterenko said and
recalled HAMAS won the 2006 election which the world community recognized
as fair and honest.
"We hold regular contacts with the movement," the spokesman said
adding representatives of all Quarter mediators also hold such contacts,
but "are constrained to publicly recognize it for unclear reasons."
Nesterenko said Medvedev urged Mashaal to ensure an early release of
Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who was abducted by Palestinian militants in
2006 and is held hostage in Gaza Strip.
"It was stressed the restoration of Palestinian unity is an invariable
condition for the success of Palestinian-Israeli talks," the spokesman
said.
"The Russian side paid specific attention to mounted efforts in
support of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations on the generally recognized
international legal basis that have to be held without failures and
dangerous breaks that are fraught with growing tensions and confrontation
and by cutting short any attempts to resort to violence," the spokesman
said.
Nesterenko said "it is necessary to mount efforts both of Palestinians
and those who can help them to normalize inter-Palestinian relations."
"The talks during the visit confirmed there are reserves in the work.
Egyptian political efforts, which we energetically supported and support,
deserve encouragement and support of all those who are interested in the
implementation of national aspirations of the Palestinians to have their
own independent and sovereign state and to promote the Middle East
settlement in general," he said.
Nesterenko said Medvedev urged to create "favorable conditions to
promote comprehensive, fair and lasting settlement in the Middle East and,
first and foremost, to resolve the Palestinian problem on the basis of
two-state approach when independent and viable Palestinian state would
co-exist in peace and security with Israel."

.Lavrov informs Israel on Medvedev-Mashaal meeting.

MOSCOW, May 14 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
informed his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman in a telephone
conversation on Thursday about the results of the meeting between
President Dmitry Medvedev and HAMAS political leader Khaled Mashaal in
Syria this week.
"Sergei Lavrov informed his Israeli counterpart about the main results
of the official visit of President Dmitry Medvedev to Syria on May 10-11.
He also informed about the contents of the meeting in Damascus with HAMAS
Politburo Chairman Khaled Mashaal," the foreign ministry said.
Lavrov "stressed the consistent Russian line to promote comprehensive
and fair political settlement in the Middle East on the generally
recognized international legal basis that would guarantee peace, stability
and security for Israel and all countries and peoples in the region. That
was the aim of the talks and negotiations in Damascus," the ministry said.
Lavrov also informed Lieberman "about our work to ensure an early
release of Israeli soldier (Gilad) Shalit," the ministry said, but
admitted "the Israeli side voiced its well-known approach to the (HAMAS)
movement".
"The ministers also discussed several issues of Russian-Israeli
relations. Lieberman noted the importance of continued dialogue and
contacts between the two countries at the top and other levels. Sergei
Lavrov supported such an attitude," the ministry said.

.Indian team inspects aircraft carrier refurbishment in Russia.

ARKHANGELSK, May 14 (Itar-Tass) -- A team of the Indian defense
ministry completed on Thursday the inspection of the refurbishment of
Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier which Russia had to deliver to India yet
in 2008.
Vice-Admiral Nadel Nirajan Kumar, who headed the Indian delegation at
the Sevmash shipyards in Severodvinsk, "noted positive dynamic in the
works on the aircraft carrier", shipyards spokeswoman Yekaterina Pilikina
told Tass.
She said the Indian delegation visited the warship and examined the
situation with the refurbishment in detail. "I was pleased to see the
enterprise take all effort to keep up with the work schedule that has been
agreed by the governments of our countries," Pilikina quoted Kumar as
saying.
The 44,570-tonne Gorshkov is to be inducted into the Indian Navy as
INS Vikramaditya, as a replacement for India's INS Viraat, which is now 50
years old. After modernization, the carrier is expected to be seaworthy
for 30 years.
Initially the contract was estimated at 1.5 billion US dollars, but in
early 2008 Russia said it underestimated the scale and the cost of the
modernization and said it would not be in a position to deliver the ship
before 2012 and at an additional cost of $1.2 billion.
After protracted negotiations India agreed to pay US$ 2.33 billion.
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