MOSCOW. Sept 5 (Interfax) - Russian Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and African Countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the fight against terrorism and the Palestinian-Israeli resolution.
"During the exchange of opinions on pressing Middle Eastern problems the priority attention was given to the prospects of the Israeli-Palestinian settlement and the role, which Russia plays in the course of facilitation to the establishment of the comprehensive peace and the reliable security in the Middle East," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on the ministry's website.
The direct talks between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have been set on September 9, but have been delayed due to Tel-Aviv's position, the new date of the talks is not determined yet, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal said earlier in an interview with Interfax.
At the talks Bogdanov and Netanyahu have discussed the set of issues on the bilateral Russian-Israeli agenda, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "Besides, dynamic development of multifaceted, mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Israel, including the support to the intensive multilevel political dialog, reciprocal invariable aspirations to further develop trade-economic and investment partnership, intensify humanitarian, cultural and other ties between the two countries and peoples, was stated with content," the Russian foreign political agency said.
"The special emphasis was placed with the task to consolidate the efforts in the interests of the effective fight against the universal terrorist threat in the Middle East and in the world on the whole," the ministry said.
Besides, Bogdanov held the meetings with Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Director-General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry Dore Gold, it said. The parties discussed the development of military-political and humanitarian situation in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, as well as the situation, which is emerging on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. "The schedule, which is being compiled, and the process of preparations to scheduled Russian-Israeli contacts and the exchange of visits at governmental and inter-agency levels have also been considered," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement.