Lavrov to leave for Mideast June 26 for talks

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will leave for Israel and Palestine on June 26-27 for talks on prospects for the stabilization of the situation in the Middle East, experts said today.

Lavrov is also planning to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"The talks will focus on the situation in Palestinian territories, in particular its humanitarian aspect.

Russia is working out possible steps towards this direction." The experts said the talks would also focus "on the status of Russian citizens in Palestine." They recalled that now eighty Russian citizens had left the Gaza Strip.

A total of 120 people still stay in the Gaza Strip.

"If they want to go, necessary aid will be provided," the experts said.