MOSCOW, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel is an "indispensable condition" for ensuring genuine security and stability in the Middle East.
Putin made the remarks at a joint press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after their meeting in the Russian resort city of Sochi.
"The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has only a political, negotiated solution based on international law. Therefore, it is important to maintain bilateral relations, refrain from unilateral steps, jointly seek mutually acceptable solutions, and together fight terrorism," Putin said.
Russia will continue to give full support to the resumption of direct dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis, he added.
At the press conference, Abbas said he welcomed Putin's proposal to hold a meeting in Moscow between the leaders of Palestine and Israel.
He also spoke highly of Russia's efforts in countering terrorism and its contribution to strengthening security and stability in the Middle East.
One day before meeting Abbas, Putin discussed the situation in the Middle East with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone.
The last round of peace talks between Palestine and Israel halted at the end of March 2014 following nine months of fruitless negotiations aimed at solving the decades-old conflict.
Last week, Abbas met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, when Trump vowed to "do whatever is necessary" to negotiate a peace deal between Palestine and Israel.
