Do More With Reuters
Partner Services

Russia aims to host Mideast peace meet by end year

Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:17pm IST
 
Email | Print | | Single Page
[-] Text [+]

By Oleg Shchedrov and Cynthia Johnston

CAIRO (Reuters) - The Russian president said in Cairo on Tuesday that Moscow aimed to hold a Middle East peace conference before the end of 2009, a move backed by Egypt and which Russia said also had Israel's approval.

Russia, which has proposed such a conference in the past, is a member of the Quartet of Middle East negotiators, along with the European Union, the United States and the United Nations.

"We paid special attention to Middle East issues. We highly appreciate efforts by the Egyptian president to create an atmosphere of trust and cooperation in the region," Dmitry Medvedev said after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

"(The) Moscow Middle East conference, which we plan to hold before the end of the year, will also contribute to achieving this goal," he said at a joint news conference in Cairo.

Mubarak, speaking after the two sides signed cooperation agreements, said Egypt backed the conference in Moscow.

Israeli spokesman Yigal Palmor said Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman recently told Russia that Israel "would, in principle, agree to attend, provided, of course, that anti-peace elements such as Hamas and Hezbollah are not invited".

Moscow is the only Quartet member talking to Hamas, the group that controls Gaza but which is snubbed by Israel and the West. Russia also has good contacts with Israel.

"We have ensured agreement from all countries including the new Israeli government (for the Moscow conference)," Medvedev said later in the day at the Cairo-based Arab League.  Continued...

Reuters correspondent Sourav Mishra recounts the unforgettable night of Nov. 26 at Mumbai's Leopold Cafe
Back from the Dead
REUTERS WITNESS - 26/11

Reuters correspondent Sourav Mishra recounts the night of Nov. 26 at Leopold Cafe.  Full Article | Full Coverage 

REUTERS WEEKEND

9: Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, Royal Ontario Museum; Toronto. What I.M. Pei’s pyramid is to the Louvre, so is the relatively new Michael Lee-Chin Crystal to the Royal Ontario Museum. While many praise the glass structure, just as many are troubled by the incongruity to the original, more traditional museum that still sits directly beside it.  REUTERS/Yan Sun/Handout
Travel Picks

World's top 10 ugliest buildings.  Full Article | Slideshow 

Revellers dance at an office Christmas party in London December 13, 2007.  REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly
Travel Picks

Top 10 cities to party the night away.  Full Article 

 
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey waves to people at the Main Street in Copenhagen in this September 30, 2009 file photo. REUTERS/Scanpix/Jeppe Michael Jensen/Files
End of Oprah?

Winfrey says ending TV show "feels right."  Full Article | Slideshow 

Dresses worn by actress Audrey Hepburn are displayed at a press preview of the Tanja Star-Busman collection of Hepburn memorabilia at Sotheby's in New York November 20, 2009.  REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
Hepburn Auction

Audrey Hepburn's dresses will be sold at auction.  Full Article 

 
Photo
One Year Later

A look back at the events of 26/11 ahead of the first anniversary of the militant attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people.  Slideshow | Full Coverage 

Photo
Ageing Santa gets $100,000 facelift for Christmas Friday, 20 Nov 2009 

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A Santa in New Zealand with a droopy eye has received a NZ$100,000 ($74,000) face-lift in the run-up to Christmas so that his aging face does not scare children.  Full Article