During the visit of the President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas to the Russian Federation a meeting and negotiations of the RMC Chairman Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin with Mahmoud Abbas took place at the residence of the Russian Muftis Council, and a dinner was given in honor of the distinguished guest, which was attended by the cochairman of RMC mufti Hazrat Nafigulla Ashirov, the cochairman of RMC and chairman of DUM of the Volga and Saratov regions Mukaddas Hazrat Bibarsov and the RMC representative in the Volga region Hazrat Rashid Khalikov, the Vice-Chairman of RMC Rushan hazrat Abbyasov.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation was represented at the reception by the Russia's representative to the Palestinian National Authority, A. Rudakov.

Today Mahmoud Abbas, who stays in Russia on an official visit to discuss the Russian-Palestinian cooperation issues, the issues of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, was accompanied by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine in the Russian Federation Faed Mustafa, by a member of the Central Committee of the Movement "Fath" Azzam Alahmad, an official representative of the Head of the Palestinian National Authority Nabil Aburudeyna, an advisor to the Head of the Palestinian National Authority, Akram Haniyeh, a Counsellor of the Head of the Palestinian National Authority on diplomatic issues Majdi Khaldi, an advisor to the Head of the Palestinian National Authority on Christian affairs Ziad Albandak, a Special Adviser to the Head of the Palestinian National Authority Khodro al-Zufeyri.

Welcoming the guest the Chairman of the RMC Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin said that the most important thing of what had happened since the last regular and very productive meetings was admission by the UN the Declaration of independence of Palestine and acceptance of the Palestine as a member of UNESCO in 2011. "Palestine is in the hearts and minds of Muslims around the world" - the support of Russian Muslims of Palestine and its suffering people was sounded in the words of the spiritual leader of Muslims of Russia.

Ravil Gaynutdin expressed his deep respect to the Head of the Palestinian National Authority, recalling that Mahmoud Abbas was awarded the Russia's highest Muslim award - the Order of Fakhr al-Muftis Council of Russia.

"This award is the recognition of your efforts for dialogue and the peaceful settlement of the Middle East problem," - the mufti said, congratulating Mahmoud Abbas with yesterday handed Award of the International Foundation for Unity of Orthodox Peoples in Moscow.

"We pray for peace in Palestine, we pray for an independent Palestinian state and we hope to establish the capital of an independent Palestine in the Eastern Jerusalem, our opinions, expressed in the sermons and the celebration of the Al Quds in the Moscow Cathedral mosque and in the all mosques of Russia, are shared by the Muslims of Russia. You contribute to the development of relations between our country and the Palestinians and Muslims of Russia appreciates these efforts, "- the Chairman of RMC said to the Head of the Palestinian National Authority.

Sincere gratitude to the leadership of the PNA Mufti expressed for those donations, though small, that were handed for the construction of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque on behalf of children in Palestine. "This donation has drawn sincere tears from all of us" - Ravil hazrat said.Ravil Gaynutdin told the guest about the activities of the Russian Muftis Council for Russia's spiritual revival, training of religious personnel and Islamic scholars and  about the construction of mosques. "We are building interethnic and interfaith peaceful relations in our country", - the Mufti said, - "we have no ethnic or religious conflicts, and it is certainly a merit of the Muslim clergy and the clergy of other religions."

All participants sincerely accepted the invitation of the mufti to participate in the future opening of a new complex of Moscow Cathedral Mosque, in which Russian leaders Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, during their visits to Moscow Cathedral Mosque last years, promised to participate.

The parties expressed their intention to make a prayer together in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas expressed gratitude for the reception and appreciation of the efforts of the Russian Muftis Council in the peacekeeping international activities. Mahmoud Abbas stressed that the Palestinian people will continue their efforts to achieve a just peace, creating an independent Palestinian state as 1967 year borders, living side by side with Israel. "Our efforts are still encountered by persistence of the Israeli government," the President Mahmoud Abbas said.

After the meeting, a press conference attended by a large number of media representatives took place.

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas invited the Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council Ravil Gaynutdin to visit the Palestinian Authority.

"I invited the Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council Ravil Gaynutdin to visit his second home," - the Head of the PNA said during the press conference. Mahmoud Abbas told the journalists that he  always had common topics for dialogue with the Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council: "The same topics, we also discuss with the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and with our other brothers" - the Head of the Palestinian National Authority added.