Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's visit to Russia this week strengthened ties between the two nations and gave hope for a heavier Russian presence in the Middle East peace process, a Palestinian minister told The Russia Journal.

Nabil Amr, former Palestinian ambassador to Moscow and now Palestinian minister for parliamentary affairs, said the Palestinian leadership "evaluates the Russian role as a main part in the peace process."

"We have a special relationship with the Russian government and people, and Russia has a very important part in the process – we have always discussed the situation and developments with them," he said. "Moscow now has a balanced policy with its negotiations with Israel and with the Palestinians."

He said the appointment of a Russian envoy to the Middle East was important for stepping up Russia's presence in the region. "We will cooperate with any Russian envoy and are ready to cooperate with the Russians to empower their role. There is also effort from [former Russian Prime Minister] Yevgeny Primakov, who is in the region at the moment."

He said he hoped Russia would work with the United States and other parties to achieve progress. "We want to push them to find a solution – there is no competition in the roles," he said.