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Hamas visits moscow for international recognition { March 3 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/03/russia.hamas/index.htmlhttp://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/03/russia.hamas/index.html
Friday, March 3, 2006 Posted: 0933 GMT (1733 HKT)
Hamas repeats hard line in Moscow
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Hamas's political leader has reaffirmed the organization's hard-line stance at the start of a three-day visit to Russia aimed at denting the Palestinian militant group's international isolation, saying that its refusal to recognize Israel was not up for negotiation.
"The issue of recognition is a decided issue," Hamas's exiled political leader Khaled Mashaal declared on arrival in Moscow. "We don't intend to recognize Israel."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was scheduled to receive Mashaal in what will be Hamas's highest-profile foreign visit since winning Palestinian parliamentary elections in January.
The political gamble by Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to break the deadlock in the Middle East peace process, on the heels of the parliamentary victory by the militant Palestinian group.
Russia says it will insist that Hamas renounce violence and recognize Israel's right to exist -- a demand that has been echoed by the West..
"This visit has no conditions," Mashaal said. "We will listen to the Russian officials and we will clarify our position.
"And I think the problem is not with the Palestinian people, but the problem is with the occupation. We want there to peace in the region, however, peace will not be until the end of the occupation and giving back the Palestinian people their land and their national rights."
The Palestinian militant group is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Israel, for carrying out scores of terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds of Israelis over the years.
Hamas has been shunned by many nations after winning January's parliamentary Palestinian elections, when it toppled the Fatah Party, which had dominated Palestinian politics for decades.
Russian leaders have said they do not want Hamas to be politically isolated.
The Hamas delegation is set to have talks with Lavrov's deputy, Alexander Saltanov, as well as Russian lawmakers, and meet Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II.
Because of Hamas's policies against Israel, Jerusalem has cut the Palestinian Authority off from revenue collected from taxes and fees on Palestinians, prompting Hamas leaders to appeal for international financial support.
The European Union said Monday that it will give the Palestinian Authority $143 million (120 euros) in emergency aid before the newly elected Hamas leadership forms a Palestinian government.
The EU, meeting in Brussels, Belgium, said the funds would help pay for Palestinian energy and utility bills, health and education programs, and the Palestinian Authority payroll.
An official with the EU said its money would not go directly to the Palestinian Authority.
For example, funds for health and education would go to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, and the EU would pay Palestinian and Israeli utility providers, the official said.
She said the EU was trying to ease pressure on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as he attempted to shape the policies of the new government led by Hamas.
CNN's Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance contributed to this report
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