Israel, Russia to enhance intelligence cooperation

JERUSALEM, Friday (Xinhua) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Russian President Vladimir Putin decided here to significantly enhance intelligence cooperation between their two countries and set up a joint mechanism to battle terrorism.

“We are strategic allies when it comes to anything to do with ( the war against) terror,” Putin told Sharon during their three- hour meeting in Jerusalem.

Putin also promised Sharon that Russian weapons will not endanger Israel. One major issue raised by Sharon during the meeting was Israeli fears that Russian weapons to be sold to Iran and Arab countries would endanger the safety of Israel.

Putin also said that “a nuclear Iran worries us just as much as it does you,” reiterating comments he made earlier in the day. Sharon said he hoped the visit will improve relations between the two country.

Putin landed in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night on an unprecedented visit to Israel by a Russian head of state. However, the state visit has been overshadowed by two diplomatic contretemps: an Israeli rejection of Putin’s proposal for an international conference for Mideast peace this fall and Israeli objections to Russia’s plans to sell armoured personnel carriers to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and anti- aircraft missiles to Syria.

The Russian president left Israel on Friday and headed for the West Bank city of Ramallah where he will meet with PNA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas who welcomed his proposed peace conference.