The first-ever meeting of the security council chiefs of Russia, the US, and Israel has taken place in Jerusalem. Post-war Syria and Iran were the main subjects of discussion, with various positions on the matter.
Here's Sergey Pashkov, the head of our Middle Eastern office, with the details.
The Russian, American, and Israeli flags at the entrance of the Orient Hotel in Jerusalem illustrate the unusual political format: the meeting of three countries' three main national security advisors. Nikolai Patrushev, John Bolton, and Meir Ben-Shabbat have gathered here today to discuss Syria and other pressing issues.
The format was proposed by Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu during his brief Moscow visit in April. Israel assumes that the sides can overcome their differences and agree on common methods to ensure the security of one of the most explosive regions.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel: "I believe that there's a broad framework for the cooperation of our three states. Many believe that this summit is a real opportunity to promote the restoration of stability in the region, specifically in Syria."
The two-day summit included heated discussions behind closed doors and attempts to find mutually acceptable solutions for the most pressing regional security issues. It's a full-scale political process that can prevent a destructive dead-end military conflict. Russia has its own vision of the political steps that need to be taken to stop the bloodshed.
Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council: "I completely agree with Prime Minister Netanyahu on the way Syria needs to transform as the result of our work. As he said, the country needs to become peaceful and safe. I'd like to add that we need to ensure its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity".
Both Israel and the US find a settlement impossible without the withdrawal of Iranian troops from the territory of Syria. John Bolton accuses Tehran of attempting to destabilize the situation in the region, ignoring the necessity to provide evidence, as usual.
John Bolton, National Security Advisor: "The Russian military has information that a US drone was shot down in Iranian airspace and that the attacks on the tankers in the Strait of Hormuz were a provocation. It requires a thorough investigation".
Anyway, Moscow cautions its partners against taking aggressive actions against Iran, proposing consistent political steps aimed at resolving the conflict. Iran has been and still is our ally and partner.
Nikolai Patrushev: "We're consistently developing our relations, both in bilateral and multilateral formats. In this regard, we consider any attempts to present Tehran as the main threat to regional security and moreover, compare it to ISIS or other terrorist groups to be unacceptable. More so, considering that Iran makes an important contribution to the fight against terrorism in Syria and the stabilization of Syria".
The political discussion wasn't limited to regional issues. Nikolai Patrushev and John Bolton had a bilateral meeting in which they discussed the crisis in Venezuela and the situation in Ukraine. This is just the beginning of a constructive dialogue; a preparation for a top-level summit. The Russian and American presidents will meet during the G20 summit in Osaka later this week to move along the path of mutual understanding and cooperation while solving the most pressing issues of the global political agenda.
Sergey Pashkov, Varvara Golemba, and Alexander Ivanyuk, Vesti, Jerusalem.
