"Moscow favors the newly established government in the Palestinian National Authority," Mikhail Kamynin, official spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry, said. "No doubt, this is a crucial event in terms of Palestinian consolidation, which was made possible after the two basic political forces in Palestine, Fatah and Hamas, reached agreement in Mecca February 8," he said.
The spokesman said he was hopeful the new government would be a crucial factor in stabilizing the situation in Palestine and ending the discord and chaos there.
The diplomat added that the new Palestinian government would pave the way for establishing constructive cooperation between the PNA and the international community and a stable dialogue between Palestine and Israel in order to build a sovereign Palestinian state.
"As part of the Quartet and through bilateral contacts, Russia intends to provide an energetic contribution to that end," Kamynin said.
Earlier Thursday, Ismail Haniyeh, acting Prime Minister of the PNA, said a new coalition government had been established with officials from Fatah, the Islamist group Hamas, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and other parliamentary factions and independent politicians as its members.
Under the Palestinian Constitution, the Palestinian Legislative Council will soon have to approve the new Cabinet.
