Former Russian PM suggests Clinton ask for Putin's pardon

Russia was not invited to participate in the Sharm el Sheik summit on the Mideast settlement, announced leader of the State Duma's "Mother-All Russia" faction, former Prime Minister Evgeny Primakov. Speaking live on the Echo of Moscow station, the Russian Ex-PM expressed the opinion that during yestarday's telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Bill Clinton would ask his pardon for this. Primakov stressed that Russia should most actively participate in political processes in the Middle East and strengthen its positions there. "This region has a striking importance for us," he pointed out. After the summit in Egypt, the situation in the Middle East remains restless. Clashes between Israelis and Palestinians continue. Virtually, this means a failure of United States leaders' peace-keeping efforts. Probably, it is this failure that caused the US President's initiative on intensifying Russia's participation in the Mideast peace accord. According to one of Clinton's advisors, the US President wants to propose Russia, as a co-sponsor of the peace process, to take a more active part in negotiations between the conflicting sides.