Ariel Sharon's Negotiations with Russian Officials in Moscow - 2003-11-04

Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister of Israel, continues his negotiations with Russian officials in Moscow for the second day, attempting to persuade them to withdraw a proposed resolution that endorses the Middle East peace roadmap. It appears that Ariel Sharon has not succeeded in convincing Russia to retract the draft resolution that supports the Middle East peace roadmap. After two days of talks with Russian leaders in Moscow, Mr. Sharon returned only with a promise from Russia to continue its commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. Israel states that it fundamentally supports the draft but emphasizes that before any Palestinian government is formed, the Palestinian Authority must suppress militant groups involved in terrorist attacks. In discussions on Tuesday, Sharon and the Russian Prime Minister also talked about economic and trade issues. Sharon was expected to meet with Mikhail Kasyanov, the Prime Minister, and Igor Ivanov, the Foreign Minister of Russia, on Tuesday before returning to Jerusalem. On Monday, Sharon met with President Vladimir Putin. According to Israeli officials, Putin listened to Sharon's objections to the draft resolution that Russia presented to the Security Council but did not commit to any action. The draft resolution suggests that a Palestinian government be established by 2005.