Ramallah, Feb. 11 (IANS): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' aide Majdi Khalidi on Sunday said that Palestinians will ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to step into a multilateral mechanism to overlook the peace process.
Khalidi, Abbas' diplomatic advisor, told official Palestinian radio station Voice of Palestine that Abbas will meet Putin in Sochi on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.
"The Palestinian side insists of forming a multilateral approach to overlook the peace process with the Israeli side" in an attempt to disregard the US from its former role in the peace process, he said.
"Russia and Putin will have an important role in this matter, including launching an international peace conference and several important issues that require consultation with all relevant parties until we achieve the interest of the Palestinian people," said Khalidi.
He explained that Palestinians will continue to consult with Russia over any coming initiative.
A senior Russian delegation met Palestinian officials in West Bank city of Ramallah after US President Donald Trump's move on Jerusalem last December.
Since Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Palestinians have declared that the US is disqualified from mediating the peace process and demanded an international multilateral approach to sponsor the peace talks with Israel.
