- Title: JERUSALEM: VISITING PUTIN SIGNS AGREEMENT, MEETS SHARON.
- Date: 28th April 2005
- Summary: (W2) JERUSALEM (APRIL 28, 2005) (REUTERS) (AS 5462/05) 1. MILITARY RECEPTION CEREMONY AND RED CARPET AT ISRAELI PRESIDENT'S RESIDENCE 2. SOLDIERS STANDING TO ATTENTION 3. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND ISRAELI PRESIDENT MOSHE KATSAV LISTEN TO NATIONAL ANTHEMS 4. SOLDIERS HOLDING FLAGS STANDING TO ATTENTION 5. PUTIN AND KATSAV SPEAKING TO GUESTS AND WALKING AWAY 0.49 (BN10) JERUSALEM (APRIL 28, 2005) (REUTERS) 6. GV: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SEATED WITH ISRAELI PRESIDENT MOSHE KATSAV 0.52 7. GV/ZOOM/MV: PUTIN AND KATSAV STANDING AND SHAKING HANDS 1.05 8. GV/PAN: PUTIN AND KATSAV WALKING PAST PODIUMS AND SITTING AT HEAD TABLE 1.12 9. MV/CU/GV: PUTIN AND KATSAV SIGNING JOINT DECLARATION AND GUEST BOOK AT KATSAV'S RESIDENCE; PUTIN AND KATSAV EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS (4 SHOTS) 1.46 10. GV: PUTIN AND KATSAV AT PODIUMS 1.55 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SAYING: "What could worry our Israeli partners with respect to our sales of weapons to Syria? (TRANSLATION) "Two things." (TRANSLATION) "Security of Israel itself" (TRANSLATION) "and a possibility of the terrorist organisations getting hold of these weapon system." (TRANSLATION) "Mister President has once again reminded me about it today." (TRANSLATION) "I would like to advise you of the following:" (TRANSLATION) "The systems we sell are the short range air defence systems (TRANSLATION) and pose no threat to Israeli territory." 2.58 12. GV: PUTIN SPEAKING AT PODIUM 3.04 (BN10) JERUSALEM (APRIL 28, 2005) (POOL - ACCESS ALL) 13. GV: GOOD SHOT EXTERIOR ISRAELI PARLIAMENT THE KNESSET 3.09 14. CU: ISRAELI AND RUSSIAN FLAGS FLYING BESIDE EACH OTHER 3.15 15. MV/PAN: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER ARIEL SHARON GREETING RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN 3.28 16. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER ARIEL SHARON, SAYING: "I am sure that this meeting will strengthen relations between Israel and Russia." 3.42 18. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "These days of meetings are very important to us because our people suffered more than other people." 3.53 18. GV/PAN: SHARON AND PUTIN SHAKING HANDS, LEAVING ROOM 4.06 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th May 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: JERUSALEM
- City:
- Country: Israel
- Reuters ID: LVACO3O9HZTSCWXTSYWR1BA1J6AH
- Story Text: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Israeli
leaders in a bid to improve relations between Israel and
Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday
(April 28) that Israel should not worry about arms sales to
Syria.
On his visit to Israel, the first of a Kremlin leader,
Putin took fire from Israeli President Moshe Katsav over a
Russian missile deal with Syria.
Putin said the Strelet missiles involved in the deal
are vehicle-mounted, short-range and cannot be turned into
shoulder- launched missiles.
"What could worry our Israeli partners with respect to
our sales of weapons to Syria?" Putin asked at a joint news
conference with Katsav, held at the president's residence
in Jerusalem.
"Two things. Security of Israel itself and a
possibility of the terrorist organisations getting hold of
these weapon system," Putin said. "I would like to advise
you of the following: The systems we sell are the short
range air defence systems and pose no threat to Israeli
territory."
Katsav called Putin a friend of Israel and both leaders
stressed the need to speed up a joint effort to fight
terrorism and anti-Semitism in Russia and elsewhere.
Addressing Israeli concerns over Iran, Putin said
Russian collaboration with Tehran's nuclear programme was
"within the boundaries of peaceful purposes". Israel is
believed to have the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal.
In February, Moscow and Tehran signed the fuel supply
deal long opposed by Washington, which believes Iran could
use Russian know-how to make nuclear weapons.
Putin also met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
in Jerusalem on Thursday (April 28).
When the pair appeared in front of the cameras, Sharon
predicted improved relations between the two nations.
"I am sure that this meeting will strengthen relations
between Israel and Russia," Sharon said.
"These days of meetings are very important to us
because our people suffered more than other people," Putin
replied, commenting on the losses Russia suffered in World
War II.
Their meeting was also likely to focus on Israel's
opposition to Moscow's help for Iran's nuclear programme
and anti-aircraft missile sale to Syria.
Ahead of his visit, Putin proposed hosting a Middle
East peace conference in Moscow later this year. But the
offer was swiftly rejected as premature by Israel and the
United States.
The Palestinians said such a meeting could help prepare
for statehood talks they hope to hold after Israel's
planned Gaza pullout this summer.
Putin's proposal appeared to be part of his wider plan
to revive Moscow's Cold War influence in the Middle East --
a status Russia lost after the Soviet collapse.
Sharon has said peacemaking under a "road map" promoted
by the United States, Russia, the European Union and the
United Nations would be on hold until the Palestinians
began dismantling militant groups in the plan's first
phase.
Putin is due to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas in the West Bank on Friday (April 29).
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