Putin, Abbas to discuss Middle East settlement

Russian President Vladimir Putin will have talks later Thursday with his Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived to Russia late Wednesday on a working visit, the Kremlin press service reported. The talks will address bilateral cooperation and problems of regional security, including the Middle East settlement, the press service said. Abbas' previous official visit to Russia took place in mid-March 2013. Then he had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and head of Russia's North Caucasian Republic of Karachai-Cherkessia Rashid Temrezov. Before that, Abbas visited Russia on January 19-24, 2012. As the leader of the Palestine National Authority (PNA), Mahmoud Abbas paid his first official visit to Moscow in early 2005. The PNA leader has made ten visits in Russia since then. Source: MENA