Report: Russia and the ME peace process
The London-based al-Hayat daily said in its Sunday's issue under the title "Moscow is ready to host a summit between Barak and Bashar," that Russia is preparing new initiatives pertaining to the peace process and that this initiative might be announced during the visit to be made by the Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Middle East.
In its Sunday's issue the paper quoted Vasseli Serdin, the Russian deputy foreign minister who is also the envoy for the Russian president to the Middle East as saying that the contacts Moscow held with Damascus revealed that the new Syrian leadership will stay faithful to the policy of achieving a just and comprehensive peace. Noting that this Syrian position is a source of hope to eliminate obstacles impeding the Syrian track.
Replying to a question on the possibility of having Syrian- Israeli negotiations at the level of summit in Russia, Serdin said if the " Syrians and the Israelis see there is a need to make contacts in Moscow, then we will be ready to provide all backing and hosting services."
He added that his country puts in top of its priorities bringing together the stances of Damascus and Tel Aviv, adding that the venue for holding the negotiations falls in the second place of importance.
Moscow proposed negotiations according to the principle of complete peace against complete withdrawal. Serdin stressed the need of restoring back the whole of the Golan Heights to Syria and formulating security measures and normalization of relations between the two countries.
The paper added that observers remarked that Moscow is not pleased with the way of convening the US, Palestinian and Israeli summit and considered it as a continuity for " margining the Russian role."
Al-Hayat quoted a specialized diplomat in the Middle East affairs as saying that Moscow does not rule out a tour for President Putin on the ME region. The paper explained that Putin's visit will be preceded by visits to be carried out by the foreign minister Igore Ivanov, noting that initiatives relating to settlement in the Middle East and the Iraqi file might be announced during this tour.
