MOSCOW, July 31, SPA -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was to meet Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to secure stronger support for his government. On Monday, he received a vote of confidence from Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who told Abbas that Russia considered him «the lawful leader of the entirePalestinian people.» «And we support your efforts aimed at restoring law,achieving unity among the Palestinian people and continuing the process to seek a resolution to the situation in the Palestinian territories,» Lavrov told reporters. The visit is Abbas' first to Russia since Hamas seizedcontrol of the Gaza Strip in June. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/471645