PM holds high-level meeting on sagging ties with Russia
January 3, 2005
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened a special discussion yesterday on Israel-Russia relations, in the wake of several signs indicating that bilateral ties have deteriorated recently.
The
latest such indication was a statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who
recently warned against "people who make anti-Russian and Zionist
declarations," in a reference to aides of Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's
opposition leader whom preliminary results show to be the victor in the
country's controversial presidential elections.
Participants in the meeting included Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Defense
Minister Shaul Mofaz, National Security Adviser Giora Eiland and the heads of
the intelligence authorities.
The officials analyzed the signals of deterioration, including Russian
expressions of support for late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the
disappointing visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. They disagreed
over whether Russia was purposely adopting a policy of negativity toward Israel
or whether the accumulation of negative signals amounts to nothing more than
coincidence.
The meeting participants did not decide on any concrete steps, but Sharon
instructed the Foreign Ministry to examine the issue in depth, in coordination
with the other bodies represented at the meeting, and to present him with
conclusions and suggestions.
Meanwhile, Russia's deputy foreign minister, Alexander Saltanov, will visit
Jerusalem this week as one of the international observers monitoring the
Palestinian Authority chairmanship elections. He is likely to meet with Shalom.
SOURCE: Haaretz