Putin in Amman to talk about peace and shuffle alliances
Amman (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the last leg of a Middle East trip, will meet Jordan’s King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Politics, peace and energy will be on the table.
Jordan's government spokesman, Nasser Judeh, said that “Russia is an important member of the Quartet and a country that has every interest in seeing a revival of the peace process and a permanent peace settlement in the Middle East,” he said.
In addition to Russia the Quartet includes the United States, the European Union and the United Nations. Together they act as mediators in regional peace talks.
Jordan has been working to restart the stalled peace process and on Monday the Jordanian king met Mr Abbas for talks.
Mr Putin is also expected to discuss energy and economic ties with Jordanian officials, including the construction of an oil pipeline, oil transport and refining facilities.
In previous days the Russian president held talks with Qatar’s Emir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and in Saudi Arabia he met Saudi King Abdullah.
Russia is trying to offer an alternative to US ‘unilateralism’ in seeking was to solve Mideast problems. But he is also trying boost trade with these important oil producers.
In Qatar, which has the world's third largest gas reserves after Russia and Iran, Putin found interesting the proposal to set up a cartel of gas producing countries like OPEC.
In Saudi Arabia he offered to help the Saudis develop atomic energy and pledged to develop ties with the Islamic world.
He said in Riyadh that Russia was a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully, and had long experience in promoting cooperation between ethnic groups and religions.
However, analysts noted that he did no mention Russia's military campaigns that have killed thousands in mainly Muslim Chechnya. In the past Moscow had accused Saudi extremists of providing aid to Chechen rebels with the tacit support of the Saudi government.
They also pointed out that the visit comes after last Saturday’s international security conference in Munich (Germany) in which the Russian president launched a broadside against the US for trying to impose its will on the world by military force, citing the US invasion in Iraq as an example
He also called for a broader international approach to the Palestinian crisis.
What is certain is that Russia remains a privileged partner of Iran and Syria, which the US accuses of terrorism.
Saudi Arabia, which for decades was suspicious of Soviet Russia, has rolled out the red carpet for Putin.
Saudi King Abdullah hailed him as “a statesman, a man of peace, a man of justice,” and stressed the importance of cooperation between big oil producers.
The two countries have also discussed the sale of about 150 Russian T-90 battle tanks and Mi-17 military helicopters to Riyadh.
The Saudis have been diversifying their range of friends beyond the West. In 2006 the Saudi king visited China and India. Last April Chinese President Hu Jintao made a state visit to the kingdom. (PB)
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26/01/2006
26/11/2018 09:01
