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Lavrov favors Russia-Israel ties

Russia is ready to use its good relations with the Palestinians and the Israelis to end the stalemate in the Middle East settlement, says Lavrov

© Sergei Savostianov/TASS

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MOSCOW, June 9 /TASS/. Russia’s relations with Israel are obtaining a stable positive quality, and the uncompromising struggle against terrorism contributes to the two countries’ rapprochement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.

He said that this week’s visit to Moscow of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had shown that the relations between Russia and Israel were obtaining a stable new positive quality.

"In addition to mutually deep affection of our peoples for each other and apart from mutually-beneficial interaction; the presence of economic and investment projects, a very close vision of the region’s problems and the realization, above all, of the need to wage uncompromising struggle against terrorism without any double standards makes our relations even closer," Lavrov stressed.

"We are convinced that the Palestinian-Israeli settlement and the Arab-Israeli conflict in a broader sense would certainly help preventing young people in Arab countries to fall an easy prey to recruiters from the terrorist international," the Russian foreign minister stressed.

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He added that Russia was ready to use its good relations with the Palestinians and the Israelis to end the stalemate in the Middle East settlement but it will do that exclusively within the framework of the "quartet" of Middle East peace brokers.

"Russia has trustful and very good relations with the Palestinians and the Israelis. We are ready to be maximum active in using this comparative advantage," Lavrov said.

"As for who is and can be the main broker in the Palestinian-Israeli settlement, the ‘quartet’ comprising Russia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations," the Russian foreign minister said.

"Russia has trustful and very good relations with the Palestinians and the Israelis. We are ready to be maximum active in using this comparative advantage," Lavrov said.

He added that Moscow would promote close interaction between the "quartet" and the League of Arab States (LAS), the author of the Arab peace initiative, which is extremely important for joint efforts.

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