Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Monday, for the third time since he took office almost three years ago. Among the matters for discussion between the two were the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran's nuclear arms program, Israeli press reports said.
Sharon raised the need of halting Iran's nuclear program and of ensuring that Tehran's last declaration on agreeing to international inspectors to visit its nuclear installations will be followed through, the reports added.
Putin, receiving Sharon in the Kremlin, said "Our Moscow consultations have become regular." "We meet every year. This has a positive result, both in the political and economic spheres."
He said "Russia is going to take further on an active part, as far as it is possible on our side, in the process of settlement of the Middle East situation".
On his part, Sharon confirmed his invitation for Putin to visit Israel. "I invite you once again to visit Israel," the Israeli PM told Vladimir Putin during their meeting.
"Israel is ready to make concessions in exchange for peace," Sharon said at the meeting. He added that "there is no state in the world that is ready for concessions despite the fact that it has not lost a single war", which proves that "Israel wants peace," ITAR-TASS reported. (Albawaba.com)
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