Palestinian top diplomat confirms Putin’s visit next week

UNITED NATIONS, January 16. /TASS/. The Palestinian government is expecting Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron to pay a visit next week, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki has told reporters in New York. "We are going to receive both presidents - Putin and Macron - on the 22nd and the 23rd this month, as official visit by both presidents," he said. "This is really very important." The diplomat said Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas plans to discuss Middle East issues with Putin. "He [Putin] would be having a deep and thorough discussion with President Mahmoud Abbas on bilateral relations, on Palestinian prospects for peace and on the region of the Middle East, that’s important, of course, including Syria and Libya," al-Maliki said. During his visit, Putin will also travel to Bethlehem where he will inaugurate a street that Russia has helped to renovate. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier told TASS that Putin’s visit to Bethlehem scheduled for January 23 was in the works. Read more