Medvedev makes 'historic' visit to West Bank

CNN) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visits the Palestinian territories on a "historic" trip Tuesday as part of his Middle East tour.

The trip aims to "intensify international efforts to stabilize the situation and achieve peace in the region," Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko told Russian media ahead of the visit.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will greet him in Jericho in the West Bank, where the two are expected to hold a joint press conference.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat called Medvedev's trip a "historic state visit," adding that "the message to the world is that the Palestinians are ready for statehood and independence."

"Dmitry Medvedev will discuss with the Palestinian side the Middle East settlement, the situation in the region, the prospect of calling a peace conference on the Middle East in Russia, the situation around the Gaza Strip, the restoration of Palestinian unity, to which we traditionally pay much attention," Prikhodko said, according to the state-run Itar-Tass news agency.

Medvedev initially planned to visit Israel, but that part of the trip was canceled because of an ongoing strike by Israeli Foreign Ministry employees.

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said allegations that Medvedev is traveling to the Palestinian territories in retaliation for Israel failing to receive him "have absolutely nothing in common with reality, and they smell of a very bad provocation."

The Israeli Foreign Ministry employees refused to organize the visit and threatened to disrupt the visit if it took place. Foreign Ministry workers have been striking since mid-December, demanding higher wages.

Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told CNN last week that the strike is harming Israeli interests, just as teachers' strikes and hospital strikes do harm, but he blamed the finance ministry for ignoring the workers' demands.

"They are not taking the strike seriously -- they are treating it as a playground strike," he said.

Israeli President Shimon Peres phoned the Russian president, apologized for the canceled visit, and thanked him for his involvement in the Middle East peace process.

Medvedev accepted Peres' invitation to meet him at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Israel said.

During Tuesday's visit, the Palestinian and Russian presidents will sign three agreements in agriculture, sports and communications. Medvedev will then inaugurate a new Russian art museum in Jericho.

"It's a beautiful addition" to the city, Erakat told CNN.

Erakat sees this visit as an important step toward achieving Palestinian independence, he said.

"This is our message to the world: Look at us. We are ready for a statehood, we are ready for independence, we are ready for freedom."

In talks with Abbas Tuesday, Medvedev intends to speak "in favor of the simplification of the Palestinian unity, because if there is no such unity, the efforts are ineffective and do fail to ensure a consolidated dialogue, including with Israel," Prikhodko said.

Russia was one of the first countries to recognize the Palestinian state and the Palestinians have full diplomatic representation in Moscow.

"Russia comprehensively supports the Palestinian people in their national aspirations -- the creation of an independent, viable and territorially continuous state with its capital in East Jerusalem, coexisting in peace and security with Israel," Prikhodko said.

Russia will also promise economic assistance, and will grant some $30 million in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian Authority, according to state-run Russian news agency RIA-Novosti.

But Medvedev's biggest goal is to accelerate the convening of the ministerial Quartet of international mediators on the Middle East -- Russia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations -- and the Palestinians and Israelis, to revive peace talks.

"In this sense, Russia puts forward the idea of a peaceful Middle East conference in Moscow, which could become one of the tools of the dialogue," Prikhodko said. "We have not specified the dates for the conference, but the idea is on the table."

Later Tuesday, Medvedev will visit Jordan for talks with King Abdullah II on subjects including bi-lateral economic projects, energy cooperation and arms sales, along with the fight against terror and measures to counter the impact of the global financial crisis, the Kremlin said.

Source :http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/01/18/mideast.russia.visit/index.html?section=cnn_latest