MOSCOW. Sept 17 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia is ready to contribute soldiers and observers to international forces that could be deployed to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone, Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov said.
"If a decision on the participation of the 'quartet' of international mediators (the UN, the EU, Russia and the United States) is made, Russia will have to decide on its form of involvement in this group of international observers," Fedotov told a briefing in Moscow on Wednesday.
Russia may also send servicemen as part of international peacekeeping forces "if necessary," he added.
Fedotov said that the "quartet's" foreign ministers will meet with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the sidelines of the next session of the UN General Assembly to discuss "more drastic approaches to settling the situation" in the Middle East.
"Russia favors a more hard-line approach for the parties to make them meet their obligations set out in the 'road map' peace plan, which at the moment is only a recommendation," he noted.
"It would be a good idea to deploy international forces or send international observers to this area, should it prove necessary," the deputy foreign minister said. "All these initiatives should be addressed at new consultations between the conflicting parties and the international mediators to ensure that these obligations are met," Fedotov added.