Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas has received an official invitation for talks in Russia, a leader of the faction said this morning.
Khalil Abu Laila said the invitation was sent to Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal, who lives in exile, and that a date for the visit would be agreed later.
Hamas had already said it would accept Moscow's invitation, which has upset Israel and the United States as it challenges their campaign to isolate the group unless it renounces violence and recognises the Jewish state's right to exist.
The Russian initiative has seemed to open a crack in the Quartet of Middle East mediators - including the United Nations, European Union and Washington.
But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday Moscow agreed that Hamas must commit to seeking peace with Israel to win international acceptance.