Russia steps up its Middle East policy
Russia has recently increased its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East on a variety of fronts, ranging from Arab-Israeli peace to trade with Lebanon and military cooperation with Sudan.
Late November and early December saw continuing intensification of Russian diplomacy in the Middle East, with some elements speaking to the systemic nature of the effort.
Leading off were movements toward an Arab-Israeli settlement. On Dec. 3, at a Russian-Arab cooperation forum in Khartoum, the Russian representatives pressed the issue to move toward a greater degree of consensus with the Arab participants, despite ongoing differences on the Syria issue. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, both sides focused on the “need to break the deadlock in efforts to achieve a Palestinian-Israeli settlement,” so “the Palestinian people can realize their national aspirations and live in their own state in peace and security.”
