Syria, Russia calls for a new push to resume Mideast peace process

DAMASCUS, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The senior diplomats of Syria and Russia on Sunday called for a new push to resume the stalled Middle East peace process with the help of the international community, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem held talks with Alexander Saltanov, the visiting Special Envoy of Russian president for the Middle East, on Sunday in Damascus to discuss the latest development in the Middle East region, according to SANA.

The two sides exchanged their viewpoints on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, urging to realize the Palestinian reconciliation and put more efforts to make it a success, according to the report.

The Syrian top diplomat also voiced his appreciation of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council's endorsement of Goldstone Report, the UN fact-finding mission's report on the Gaza war last January.

In a statement to journalists following the meeting, Saltanov described his talks with Moallem as marked by "deep analysis and mutual trust."

"We see eye to eye on the need to give a new push to resume the peace process with the help of the international community and the International Quartet Committee," the agency quoted the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister as saying.

Saltanov also expressed his satisfaction with the bilateral relationship between the two countries, saying Damascus and Moscow will hold a new session of the joint committee for economic and technical cooperation in the near future.