Lavrov speaks on important foreign policy issues

Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, said Moscow will maintain links with the Palestinian militant group Hamas as part of the Middle East peace process. He also commented on the current state of Russia-UK relations and the possible trial of Andrey Lugovoy.

Sergey Lavrov explained that Russia is keeping ties with both Fatah and Hamas in order to reach a broad settlement in the Middle East. That's despite comments earlier this week stating that Moscow was to cut ties with the organisation.

On Tuesday, the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas got Moscow's official backing after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The international community lined up behind Abbas' West Bank-based government after Hamas took over Gaza in June. 

Mr Lavrov also said that resolving the current diplomatic conflict between Russia and the UK is in London's hands. According to the Foreign Minister, Russia would try Andrey Lugovoy if UK prosecutors were to provide enough evidence of his guilt.

In early July Russia refused demands for the extradition of Lugovoy, Britain's prime suspect in the death of Alexander Litvinenko, triggering the current crisis.

It comes as the British Foreign office provided Russia with the name of a man suspected of trying to kill Boris Berezovsky. The man was arrested and deported from the UK.

Berezovsky has political asylum in Britain, but is due to go on trial in absentia in Russia for embezzlement.