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Putin struggles to allay Israeli fears over Syria, Iran deals
Russian President Vladimir Putin, on a historic trip to the Middle East, tried to assure Israeli leaders that a planned sale of missiles to Syria and nuclear cooperation with Iran posed no threat. Putin, the first Kremlin leader to visit Israel, also agreed in more than three hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to boost exchange of anti-terrorism information and economic cooperation in high-tech fields. However, he had limited success in easing concerns over the sale of Strelets anti-aircraft missiles to Israel's neighbour Syria, and over Moscow's deepening partnership with Iran's atomic power industry. There was also some diplomatic embarrassment over what Russia said was a "misunderstanding" regarding a proposal made earlier by Putin for a Middle East peace conference in Moscow -- an idea immediately cold-shouldered by Israel and the United States. In talks with Sharon and President Moshe Katsav, Putin said the Strelets was of a purely defensive nature. "The system we are going to supply to Syria is short-range and poses no threat whatsoever to Israeli territory," Putin told a news conference. Putin said he had blocked the sale of longer-range Iskander missiles to Middle Eastern countries, including Syria, in order not to "upset the balance of forces in the region." But Katsav said Putin's assurances were insufficient: "We have certain disagreements." Putin had more success narrowing differences over Russian nuclear policy in Iran, stressing that Moscow was only helping to build a civilian capability. Russia, he said, had got Iran to agree to return all spent nuclear fuel -- something that would greatly hamper any ambitions to enrich the fuel for military use. "Iran should abandon the creation of full nuclear cycle technologies and allow full international control of its nuclear facilities," he added. "Depending on how Iran acts on all these questions, we will act accordingly," he said. Following Putin's assurances, Katsav said "I feel there is some forward movement." An Iranian atomic arsenal would transform the balance of power in the region, where Israel is widely considered to be the sole, if undeclared, nuclear force. Israel and Washington have campaigned for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council to face sanctions over its nuclear development, which Tehran insists is purely peaceful. Confusion surrounded a proposal made by Putin in Egypt, which he visited ahead of Israel, on hosting a Middle East peace conference this autumn. The proposal was taken by governments around the world as suggesting a top-level summit. But a day after the idea met a cool reception, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there had been a "misunderstanding" and that Putin's words had been "twisted" by the media. All Putin had meant, Lavrov told reporters, was a meeting of high-level experts, not leaders. The Palestinians and Egypt had warmly welcomed the idea of a conference, but the United States and Israel said the autumn was too soon for such a move. The European Union also questioned the proposed timing. On Friday, Putin was to travel to the West Bank town of Ramallah -- another first for a Russian leader. High on the agenda will be an offer to the threadbare Palestinian security forces of 50 light armoured personnel carriers, said the Palestinian envoy to Moscow, Khairi al-Aridi. But an aide to Sharon warned that Israel would oppose such a shipment unless the Palestinian Authority does more to rein in militant groups. "We will not allow the Palestinians armoured troop carriers as long as they dither in ... a war against terrorism," the official said. However, Lavrov said the idea was legitimate -- precisely because the Palestinian government needed help in establishing authority. "This offer is not so much for Israel. This offer is for the Palestinians," Lavrov said. |
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