MOSCOW, Feb 7 (AFP) - Russia said Monday that the planned summit between Israeli and Palestinian leaders stood a greater chance of success because it was being hosted by regional power Egypt and attended by Jordan's King Abdullah II.
"An important point is that the summit will be attended by key regional powers Egypt and Jordan," said foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko.
"Without doubt, this increases the chances of the summit's success," he told Moscow Echo radio.
Abbas will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for the first time since becoming Palestinian leader at a historic summit reopening dialogue between the two sides in Egypt on Tuesday.
Russia is a member of the Middle East peace quartet, also made up of the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, and has tried to play a larger role in trying to resolve the conflict in recent months.
Abbas met Russian President Vladimir Putin here on January 31, winning Moscow's "active" support in the latest peace initiative, which has seen Palestinians and Israel reach a temporary ceasefire.
02/07/2005 15:21 GMT - AFP