MOSCOW, July 30, SPA -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is seeking Russian support in his conflict with Hamas, that it supports him, the Associated Press reported. «We firmly support you as leader of the entirePalestinian people,» Lavrov told Abbas, making his firsttrip to Russia since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip. Abbas, who arrived Sunday in Moscow, was also slated to meet with President Vladimir Putin during his three-day trip. The daily newspaper Kommersant reported that Abbas hoped to persuade Putin to give full support to his Fatah movement. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/471459