Primakov comments on US role in Middle East

While appearing at a meeting of former prime ministers as part of the 20th annual session of the Co-operation Council, ex-Russian premier Yevgeny Primakov said that the United States was trying to monopolise the mediating mission in the Middle East.

Primakov stated that this was partly responsible for the vicious circle of violence in the Middle East which will be very hard to break.

He pointed out that the only way out of the situation was to bring the conflicting sides to a compromise, which should be agreed by the USA, the EU, Russia, the UN, the League of Arab Nations and Egypt.

Yevgeny Primakov reminded those present that Israel had not been created through agreement between the Arabs and Jews, but that the two states in Palestine and their borders were imposed on the belligerent sides.