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Russia to Discuss Mideast Peace With New Israeli Prime Minister
Moscow is ready to deal with any elected Israeli prime minister and make joint efforts to pursue the Middle East peace progress, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday.
Preliminary ballots counting results show the right-wing Likud Party chairman Ariel Sharon won a landslide victory over the Labor party leader, incumbent Prime Minister Ehud Barak, in Tuesday's elections.
Moscow will announce its official reaction and Mideast policy shortly after the final results are published, while "maintaining good contacts with both contenders for the post of prime minister, " the spokesman said.
Relations between Russia and Israel are based on the national interests of the two states, not on momentary considerations, he stressed.
Russia is interested in developing steady relations with Israel. "Our countries have built a considerable positive potential over the past few years. We hope for a further development of this particular type of relationship," said the official.
Declining to predict the outlook of the Middle East peace process after Sharon takes office, he said Moscow will "wait and see the final results, instead of being engaged in fortune-telling. "
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