The letter of condolence, sent to Secretary of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation’s Executive Committee Mahmoud Abbas, acting President of the Palestinian Authority Rauhi Fattouh and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, reads in part:
”It is with great sorrow that I have learned of the death of the head of Palestine national administration and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s Executive Committee Yasser Arafat. This is a great loss for the Palestinian leadership and for all Palestinians.
This death marks the loss of an authoritative international political figure who devoted his entire life to the just cause of the Palestinian people and the struggle to realise their inviolable right to create an independent state coexisting in peace with Israel within secure and recognised borders. Russia highly values Mr Arafat’s contribution towards building friendly Russian-Palestinian relations.
I express my sincere condolences to Yasser Arafat’s family, to you and to the entire Palestinian people.“