RUSSIA BACK TO OLD STANCES ON ECONOMIC, MILITARY CONTACTS WITH MIDDLE EAST: DEPUTY MINISTER
MOSCOW, DECEMBER 25 (from RIA Novosti correspondent Yuri Alexeyev) - Slowly but surely, Russia is coming back to its old positions on trade and economic and military-technological cooperation with the Middle East, Victor Posuvalyuk, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said to a ministerial briefing.
This comeback is proceeding along a thorny path, with terms of cooperation thoroughly changed. Not all countries can adapt to these changes quickly enough. The debt issue is a major obstacle to Russian contacts with certain countries. Active competition presents another problem. Last but not least, Russia has refused to give long-term credits to ambitious projects in which the Soviet Union was once taking pride.
Turning to the ministry's immediate plans, the diplomat highlighted new contacts with the Palestinian side, and upcoming visits to Russia by high officials of several Mideastern countries - in particular, by Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestinian autonomy. Practical studies are underway of chances for a visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, and preparations are on for a visit by Prime Minister Rafique Hariri. (but/var)
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