Putin, Abbas discuss latest situation in West Bank, East Jerusalem

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Palestinian counterpart on Monday discussed the escalation of tensions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, a Kremlin statement said.

In a phone call initiated by Abbas, the statement said, the two leaders expressed hope that the situation will not turn into a large-scale Palestinian-Israeli confrontation.

"The importance of restarting the direct dialogue between Palestine and Israel, in particular, under the auspices of the Quartet of international mediators, was stressed," it added.

Established in Madrid in 2002, the Quartet on the Middle East comprises the UN, EU, US and Russia.

Putin and Abbas also discussed bilateral cooperation in trade and economy, and affirmed mutual commitment for further development of ties, the statement said.