Russia invites Hamas

From my earlier post:

Hamas, FIGHTING for YOU:

"I don't think the Hamas leadership knows how it is going to have government meetings," said Mr. Sourani, the human rights advocate. "It may be by e-mail or fax or video conferences."

Well, the mystery is cleared up, at least for one big Hamas meeting, it will be in Russia, at the invitation of that stellar supporter of democracy, President Vladimir Putin, former KGB head in the former USSR:

"We haven't considered Hamas a terrorist organization. Today we must recognize that Hamas has reached power in Palestine as a result of legitimate elections and we must respect the choice of the Palestinian people," Putin said, through a Spanish interpreter.

"But ... we must also seek solutions, steps that are acceptable both for the political forces that are leading Palestine, for the international community and also for Israel," he said.

"I am deeply convinced that burning your bridges in politics is the simplest thing to do but it doesn't have much future. Based on this idea ... we haven't rushed to call any organization 'terrorist'," Putin said.

No kidding.

Except of course those in his own country.