MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend the 13th Middle East Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club, which will bring together about 50 experts from Russia and other countries and is scheduled for February 13-14.

According to the organizers, the conference "is taking place in circumstances of increased attention to the region: the Middle East problems in general and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in particular have come to the forefront of the international agenda."

The event is expected to be attended by guests from 16 countries, including Algeria, Egypt, India, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Turkey. Sergey Lavrov, who will be the guest of honor at the conference, will meet with the Valdai Club’s experts on February 13.

The top Russian diplomat earlier pointed out that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was another example of a regional tragedy created by US policies. Lavrov noted that Washington’s years-long attempts "to monopolize mediation efforts in the Middle East settlement process have led to a sharp escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip." According to Lavrov, "given the situation that we are witnessing, there is a real risk of instability in a much larger area in this important region of the world."

According to the Valdai Club, "the purpose of the conference is to analyze regional trends and replenish the collection of ideas and proposals that can be used for stabilization, a comprehensive settlement and the creation of conditions for progressive development in the Middle East." Experts will particularly discuss paths to a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East, the legacy of colonial policy and its echoes in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the diversity of players in the Middle East, a Middle East without nuclear weapons and economic cooperation in the region.