Russia pursues more effective role in Mideast_English

by Muhammad Yamany

CAIRO, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev started his first two-day visit to Egypt on Tuesday, pursuing a more effective role in the Middle East.

Medvedev said that Russia plans to hold an international peace conference on the Middle East in Moscow under the framework of two-state solution by the end of this year.

The visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday that Moscow plans to hold a Middle East peace conference under the framework of two-state solution by the end of this year.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (R) and visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev attend a press conference in Cairo, capital of Egypt, June 23, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Ning)
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"Russia is exerting its best efforts to resume the peace talks in the Middle East according to the two-state solution and freezing settlements," Medvedev said at a joint press conference after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

"We thank Egyptian president for his efforts to build mutual trust and cooperation in the Mideast," Medvedev said, adding that "we plan to hold before the end of this year a Middle East Conference in Moscow."

Russia, a member of the international Quartet to settle the Middle East conflict together with the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, is seeking more diplomatic clout in the region.

The Quartet endorsed the Roadmap which calls on Israel and the Palestinians to take a series of steps ending with a Palestinian statehood alongside Israel.

The idea of holding an international peace conference in Moscow was hailed by Mubarak, who said "Russia is one of the greatest countries in the world and has clout on the Mideast peace process."

Visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev started his first two-day visit to Egypt on Tuesday, pursuing a more effective role in the Middle East.

Russian President Dimitry Medvedev delivers a speech at the Arab League's Headquarters in Cairo, capital of Egypt, June 23, 2009. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa supported on Tuesday the call by visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to hold an international peace conference in Moscow. Medvedev started a two-day visit to Egypt on Tuesday, his first stop of an African tour that also would take him to Nigeria, Namibia and Angola. (Xinhua/Zhang Ning)
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However, Mubarak stressed that all the efforts should be collected so as to achieve comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

"Peace can not be achieved through one power. All efforts and powers, including the Russians, the Americans and those who love peace, should participate to solve the Palestinian issue," Mubarak said.

Medvedev's visit to Egypt came shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Egypt in which he delivered a keynote speech in Cairo University, where he vowed to find a fair solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On the other hand, Medvedev said in his first visit to the Arab League (AL) headquarters that he welcomes all the Arab countries to attend the international peace conference in Moscow in an effort to push the peace process in the Middle East.

Visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev started his first two-day visit to Egypt on Tuesday, pursuing a more effective role in the Middle East.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (L) shakes hands with Arab League chief Amr Moussa in Cairo, capital of Egypt, June 23, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Ning)
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Medvedev said at the Cairo-based AL "we have ensured agreement from all countries including the new Israeli government for Moscow peace conference."

"We realize that ending occupation of the Palestinian territories and other Arab lands is a key to the general normalization in the Middle East," he said.

"Lasting security can not be achieved in the Middle East without just and comprehensive compromise to the Arab-Israeli conflict," he added.

Medvedev stressed "this comprehensive compromise has to end up with establishing an independent Palestinian state living in peace with all nations in the region including Israel, with its capital in East Jerusalem," adding that there must be a fair solution to the issue of the Palestinian refugees.

Meanwhile, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa supported on Tuesday the call by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to hold an international peace conference in Moscow.

"We support the Russian proposal to hold an international peace conference at a suitable time to revive the peace process," Moussatold Medvedev.

On the other side, the AL Secretary General called on both the Palestinians and Israelis to accept the main requirements of peace, basically the complete freeze of Jewish settlements in the occupied Arab territories, saying that this is a precondition of renewing any peace talks.

Medvedev proposed in January a Middle East peace conference to be held in Moscow in the first half of 2009.

The proposal was welcomed by Palestinians and Arabs, but snubbed by the United States and Israel, which were fretted about Russia's engagement with militant Hamas and its military aid to the moderate Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

As Moscow is the only Quartet member talking to Hamas, on May 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Hamas' exiled politburo chief Khaled Meshaal in Damascus, which drew criticism from Israel.

Russia has also promised to provide 50 armored vehicles to the PNA. This move is at odds with the Israeli leadership, which favors a demilitarized Palestinian state beside the Jewish country.

Medvedev started a two-day visit to Egypt on Tuesday, his first stop of an African tour that also would take him to Nigeria, Namibia and Angola.