By Bernama,
Moscow : Russia should not give up mediation between the Islamic world and the West, Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the Federation Council committee on international affairs, points out in an article published in Rossiiskaya Gazeta on Tuesday.
Quoting Margelov, Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency reported that mediation must remain one of the main planks of Russia’s foreign policy.
While working out a long-term policy in the Greater Middle East, one must take it into account that US and European interests clash in the region, apart from Russia-US ones.
“At all events, a balanced policy in the Greater Middle East presupposes if only a minimum solidarity with the main players, with the United States, the European Union, and China, however equivocal their conduct would seem at times,” Margelov points in the article headlined “Russia in the (New or) Greater Middle East”.
He said Russia, in its policy in the Greater Middle East, moves on from tactics to strategy. It returns to the region politically, economically and in a humanitarian sense.
“We have gained an enviable historical experience in maintaining contacts with countries in the Greater Middle East. And we can create a concept of our goals and tasks in the region, the concept worthy of it.
“Presence also signifies an economic expansion into the region by Russian companies, primarily energy ones. Russia must strengthen its influence in the Greater Middle East — this accords with the national interests of this country,” Margelov writes.
The world community recognizes Russia’s active role in the Middle East peace process, the author of the article points out.
“On May 2, this year, in London, the Quartet of (international) mediators expressed hope that the forthcoming Moscow conference on the Middle East ‘will promote headway in the peace process’.”
“Russia has been invariably coming out in favour of a collective solution to international problems that require participation from the outside and in favour of expanding representation of such participation.
The main goal of the negotiating process, which the Moscow conference will be devoted to, is to create an independent Palestine,” the article says in conclusion.