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The full text of the message follows:

“Dear heads of state and governments,

“Russia regards your summit as a major political event capable of having a tremendous positive effect on the situation in the Middle East and helping to solve its pressing problems.

“The most acute of these problems is the prolonged Palestinian-Israeli confrontation. We are certain that the crisis regarding the Palestinian territories cannot be solved by force. Against all existing odds, it is possible and necessary to work for an end to the violence, restrain extremism, normalise the situation and resume negotiations by both sides taking reciprocal steps in accordance with the Tenet Plan and recommendations of the Mitchell Commission. The implementation of these objectives could be helped by security coordination and political contact between the government of Israel and the leadership of the Palestinian National Authority.

“Russia, in its actions, consistently proceeds from the inviolability of the political and legal foundations of the peace process, above all resolutions 242 and 338 of the UN Security Council, and the “land for peace” formula. We will continue to work for the resumption of negotiations in all areas in order to restore momentum towards a comprehensive Arab-Israeli settlement. We are convinced that the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East is only possible by ending the occupation of the Arab lands and by the Palestinian people exercising their national rights, including their right to self-determination, and creating their own independent state, as well as through ensuring equal and reliable security for all states and peoples in the region, both Palestinians and Israelis.

“We consider the continuation of vigorous international assistance to the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict to be of the utmost importance. Russia has set firm sights on an energetic role for itself in this work, together with the US, EU, UN and other interested parties. We take a positive view of the initiative advanced by Saudi Arabia, a country guided by the basic principles of the peace process. Of help to our common efforts could be Resolution 1397, recently adopted by the UN Security Council, which has a provision on the peaceful co-existence of the two states – Palestine and Israel – within safe and recognised boundaries.

“Another sore point of the Arab world is the unsettled situation surrounding Iraq. We are opposed to any attempts to untie the Iraqi knot by force – the political and diplomatic resources of settling the situation are far from exhausted. We expect the Arab leaders to take a balanced stand on this matter, one contributing to the full implementation of the international community’s decisions and for Iraq to break out of its international isolation.

“We value our friendly relations with the Arab countries and regard the development of diversified ties and mutually beneficial cooperation with them as one of our priorities. Our assumption is that in the upcoming period our joint actions in every field should become more effective, and fully meet the interests of our peoples and the aims of strengthening security and stability in the Middle East and the world as a whole.

“Please accept our best wishes for a successful forum.”