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Russia's Role in Middle East Discussed
A conference entitled “Russia, the Middle East and the Challenge of Radical Islam” was held in the Sheraton Hotel in Jerusalem, where Russia was subjected to much criticism for its support of the totalitarian regimes in Iran and Syria. “With the Lebanese Hezbollah gaining strength in the North, Palestinian Hamas in the South and the threat of Iran, the feeling that we look on things the same as Russia does is growing weaker and cooperation is becoming more complicated,” former Israeli minister Natan Sharansky stated in his keynote address.
Former Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov stated that the problem in Russia is the same as that of the other leading world powers, that is, a lack of a strategic view. Ivanov was somewhat contradicted, however, by head of the Foreign Ministry North America department Igor Neverov, who said that Russia was taking an active part in solving world problems, including those in the Middle East. Neverov also contradicted rumors circulating in Israel that the United States is preventing Russia from participating actively in the Middle East peace process by hampering Moscow's attempts to hold a peace conference of its own. On the contrary, the diplomat said, that was a bright spot in U.S.-Russian relations.
The need for that conference was held up to doubt by former security advisor to the government of Benjamin Netanyahu Uzi Arad. “The Americans are specialists in putting on presentations cut off from reality like the conference in Annapolis. And they are obviously better PR specialists than the Russians. Why should Russian then go the same way. It should take a serious approach and not take part in a competition on posing,” Arad said. He pointed out that nuclear nonproliferation in the Middle East had more impact on Russia's interests and suggested that the country concentrate on that.
Former Israeli deputy defense minister Efraim Sneh criticized Russia's arms sales to Iran and Syria. Gen. Amos Gilad echoed Sne's thoughts, pointing out that, even if the weapons Russia provides are defensive, the influence of their delivery is strategic. “It increases their sense of self-confidence, creates the feeling that someone is behind them and that leads to greater support for terror from those countries,” the general explained. Israeli Foreign Ministry official Pinchas Avivi explained that Russia's unthinking policy in the Middle East is due to the lack of specialists on Israel in that country.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Apr. 10, 2008
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