Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met President Shimon Peres Tuesday and reassured him that Russia would not disrupt the balance of power in the Middle East. The statement is a clear reference to Israeli concern that Russia would sell Teheran state-of-the-art S-300 air defense systems that would make it more difficult for the Jewish state to attack Iran's nuclear installations.
In a joint press conference with Lavrov, Peres said that Russia could play an important role in the Middle East. “I remember and appreciate your statement in Syria in 2008,” Peres told his guest, “that as the sale of weapons systems in the Middle East was concerned – Russia will be careful not to spread weapons that would destabilize the diplomatic situation and disrupt the balance in the region. In this, Israel and Russia are of the same mind; weapons should serve for self-defense and not for aggressive intentions. I was encouraged to hear in our meeting that this principle is still being kept today, in your view, as you said in the past.”
Lavrov answered Peres and said that Russia “finds it important not to upset the military balance in the region, as you said.” His country, he said, “is committed to implementing all of the international laws and limitations. We never flouted international standards. We know what can happen when military balance is disrupted. We will continue not to disrupt the balance in weapons sales and we will continue to abide by international agreements.”
Lavrov added that September 2010 would be “a critical time” for negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, because three processes would simultaneously reach decisive moments: the freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria would end, as would the four month period that the Arab League allotted to proximity talks. In addition, there would be summits of the Quartet, the Arab League and the United Nations Security Council.
"We must prepare for this critical moment in time and prevent radicals from hijacking the agenda and harming the confidence-building process,” Lavrov explained, calling for direct talks between Israel and the PA.