Negotiations between Russian, Algerian Foreign Ministers focused on Mideast situation

Particular emphasis was laid on discussing the Middle East issue at the meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Belkhadem held in New York.

The Department for Information and Press of the Russian Foreign Ministry informed RIA Novosti that while addressing the key issues of the agenda of the 57th UN session, the parts "confirmed the high degree of mutual understanding and community of interests regarding the essence and methods of settling international problems including the establishment of a just world order, with the UN Security Council playing the key part in adjusting crises and combating international terrorism." The Middle East situation was given a detailed discussion, reported the Foreign Ministry. The ministers stressed "the importance of immediate tackling the problem around the Palestinian territories and the re-establishment of political process." The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the sides were united in their opinion about resorting to political and diplomatic measures only in adjusting the situation around Iraq following the course of compliance with the corresponding resolutions of the UN Security Council.

Besides, Ivanov and Belkhadem pointed out that the Russian-Algerian Declaration on strategic cooperation, signed in April 2001 in Moscow, brought the bilateral relations onto a new stage. They expressed satisfaction with the level of political dialogue and cooperation in international and regional affairs. Mutual interest was revealed in further widening the cooperation between Russia and Algeria in trade and economic sphere, as well as other fields, concluded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.