Moscow challenges U.S. role

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, OCT. 25. Russia has challenged the leading role of the U.S. in the West Asia settlement, suggesting that the U.S.- mediated peace talks between Israel and Palestine have fallen through and calling for a new negotiating mechanism.

``The period when two sides involved in the Middle East (West Asia) conflict engaged in talks mediated by the U.S. is over,'' said the Foreign Minister, Mr. Igor Ivanov. He also said the U.S. was ``jealous'' of anyone trying to join the process a clear hint at U.S. efforts to sideline Russia, which co-sponsors the peace settlement with the U.S. Mr. Ivanov came out against ``fragmenting'' the peace process into several treks and called for expanding the format of talks by inviting ``other states.''

``Talks should be conducted simultaneously along all directions Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese,'' Mr. Ivanov said in an interview to Russian television. He said the U.N. resolutions calling on Israel to return land seized in the 1967 war should be strictly upheld, while Israel should be able to expect guarantees of security from its Arab neighbours.

Lifting a veil over Moscow's new peace plan, which the Minister promised to make public shortly, the head of the parliamentary foreign relations committee, Mr. Dmitry Rogozin, suggested that the talks could be expanded to include representatives of the E.U. and the Arab League. He said the proposed format should be acceptable both to Israel and Palestine.

The Russian initiative was promptly supported by Palestine's envoy in Russia. He called for a ``fundamental revision'' of the talks format because the ``U.S. attempts to monopolise the peace process have led to a virtual breakdown of talks.'' In particular, the envoy favoured Moscow playing the same role as the U.S. does, which ``will give a new impetus to the peace process.''

Israel has not yet reacted to the Russian plan, but joined Palestinian officials in urging Moscow to play a more active role in a settlement. Two former Israeli Prime Ministers, Mr. Shimon Peres, current Regional Cooperation Minister, and Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, were in Moscow this week to discuss Russia's involvement in peace efforts.

The Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, spoke on telephone Tuesday night both with the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Ehud Barak, and the Palestinian President, Mr. Yasser Arafat, setting out his view of the bloodshed, the Kremlin said. The Russian leader said that both sides should show ``maximum restraint to prevent a worsening of the crisis situation,'' the Kremlin said in a statement.

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Section  : International
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