| Today, the head of Russian diplomacy Sergei Lavrov, together with the heads of the Foreign Ministries of the leading world powers, will take part in the London international conference on providing assistance to the Palestinian Authority. How can the world community support the Palestinians? Javier SOLANA, High Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security of the European Union, answered this question to Vremya Novostei newspaper columnist Elena SUPONINA in London.
-- Palestinians need economic assistance. It is necessary that it goes directly to the Palestinian Authority. There are also forms of assistance such as training and education of Palestinian police. Improving the economic situation in the Palestinian Authority will help resolve the Middle East conflict. We must create conditions for a settlement. We condemn terrorist acts, but they should not become a reason to curtail efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.
- Do you think that the new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas controls the situation in the autonomy?
- Yes, I believe that Mahmoud Abbas can do a lot for peace in the Middle East. He has a lot of international support and we see that he is doing everything he can. In particular, he instructed his police officers to arrest those responsible for destabilizing the autonomy. This is already a big step forward.
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