Posted on 09/06/2004 7:48:30 AM PDT by yonif
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is to hold talks Monday with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, amid media reports that in the wake of the Beslan tragedy, Israel is to propose unprecedented anti-terrorism security cooperation with Russia, including sharing of sensitive intelligence data.
Israel is also expected to offer to accept a significant number of child victims of the hostage siege for rehabilitation in the Jewish state.
Lavrov said Monday that Israel's renewed offer to share its experience of combatting militant groups, in the wake of the Russian school massacre, would give a boost to the fight against global terror.
Speaking to opposition leader Shimon Peres at the start of a whirlwind day of meetings with officials in Jerusalem, Lavrov said terrorism is one of the biggest challenges facing the international community.
"We appreciate the very strong readiness of the Israeli people to help Russia at this hour and this will certainly strengthen the counterterrorist coalition these days," he said.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said prior to meeting Lavrov, "We can help, because we have gone through these same things." Shalom cited the 2001 Dolphinarium nightclub suicide bombing, in which many of the casualties were young immigrants from Russia, a number of them pupils at the same high school in south Tel Aviv.
Along with humanitarian aid, Israel expected to discuss with Lavrov "the possibility of bolstering cooperation on the war on terror. This is a central matter, increasing security as well as diplomatic cooperation, and if they come to pass, this will have positive results in the worldwide struggle against terror."
Anti-terror alliance
On Sunday, Lavrov and Sharon independently called for an international anti-terrorist alliance, as Lavrov arrived on the scheduled visit to Israel, a part of his planned swing through the Middle East.
"I believe we have to draw lessons from this appalling crime," Lavrov said. "Terrorism can be stopped only by uniting efforts of all the states. Russia will fight this evil resolutely and uncompromisingly in the framework of the anti-terrorist coalition. We hope that the solidarity with our country shown by our partners will become a driving force behind the worldwide struggle against this scourge of the 21st century."
Even before the Russian hostage tragedy began, Lavrov had said that that Russia was interested in closer cooperation with Israel on terrorism.
"Our countries are both in the crosshair of terrorism," he told Haaretz last week. "To fight this universal evil in a vigorous way is one of the areas where we can and should unite our efforts. During the forthcoming visit, we'll sign a memorandum on the deepening of cooperation between our foreign ministries, which provides the framework for the functioning of an anti-terrorism working group."
"[The] fight against terrorism has nothing in common with [the] fight against Islam," he added. "To present this fight as a kind of a religious conflict or a clash of civilizations would only play into the hands of terrorists who in reality have neither national nor religious identity."
Reserve IDF colonel Ephraim Michaeli, former Israeli military attache to Russia, indicated Monday that heretofore, anti-terror cooperation between the two nations had been limited.
But Michaeli added that Russian officials held Israel's anti-terrorism capabilities in high esteem. "The Russians admire Israel in this sphere," he told Army Radio.
"In this regard, it could be said that in the eyes of the Russians, we represent a superpower like the United States and Russia, no less than that."
Sharon, who spoke at the Sunday cabinet meeting before Lavrov's arrival, said of the Russian school attack: "Once again it has been proved that terror... does not distinguish between adults and children. Terror has no justification. This is the time for the free, decent and human world to unite and fight this terrible epidemic, which has no borders."
In a telephone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday, Sharon offered condolences for the attack, and called for expanded intelligence coordination between the two countries. He said that "cooperation is essential in the fight against the dangerous phenomenon of terror, which does not distinguish [among victims] and harms women and children," according to a statement issued by his office. Sharon is scheduled to meet Lavrov today.
Lavrov's visit is part of a previously scheduled trip through the Middle East. But following the recent wave of violence in Russia, Israeli officials said the talks would likely focus on the need for greater anti-terror efforts.
"They understand now that what they have is not a local terror problem but part of the global Islamic terror threat," an Israeli official said.
Lavrov on Mideast conflict
In addition to the terror issue, Lavrov and Israeli officials will discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Lavrov related extensively to this issue in his interview with Haaretz, stressing that Russia remains committed to the road map.
"We hope that the initiative of the government of Israel to pull out of the Gaza Strip can be used to move in this direction, though it is necessary to go further along the route of the road map," he said. "In our opinion, such large-scale changes... are hard to implement in the absence of coordination with the Palestinian side.
"As for the Quartet's role, it could participate in monitoring the process of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as well as in creating conditions for the economic reconstruction of the Strip. Israel and the Palestinians would only gain from the cooperation with the Quartet, since it takes an honest and benevolent approach towards the concerns not only of the Palestinians, but also of the Israelis," he added.
Asked whether Russia is continuing the Soviet Union's traditional pro-Arab policy, he responded: "Russia's policy is neither pro-Arab nor pro-Israeli. It is directed at securing Russian national interests. Among those is the maintenance of close, friendly ties both with Arab countries and Israel."
With regard to Iran's nuclear program, Lavrov said that Russia intends to continue cooperating with Iran on the "peaceful use of nuclear energy," but "the prospects and scale of such partnership are defined with regard to Tehran's fulfillment of its obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency. "
Bla bla bla.
I hope Russia will soon be ending its occupation in Chechnya, transfer its Russian settlers, and cede that land to the Chechn terrorists.
Actually, based on last week, I'd say it's time to expand the occupation of Chechnya, move in more Russian settlers, and to hell with the Chechnyans. Coulterize 'em!
What they need to do is train them a more effective counter terrorist team. Something in the vein of the SAS or Delta.
Those guys did the best they could, but they obviously need training to do better next time.
There's not a lot you can do if the terrorists accidentally set off the bombs and go nuts. The Russians were negotiating, then they had to scramble.
We all need to be trained in the battle against terrorism.
We cannot depend on the Armed Forces or our police to be able to protect us.
As the Isreali's are taught to defend themselves, and their country, we need establish training programs for those willing and able to fight to protect our communities.
We, men AND WOMEN, need to learn to shoot weapons, and respect their use, not fear them.
I'd be worried about anything these two have cooked up. It sucks to be a muzzy now and for the foreseeable future.
So, you are saying they made a mistake when trying to provide cover for children making an escape attempt and being shot in the back?
They were to stand still and watch?
In this instance, events dictated the reaction. You had parents whose children are hostages - you will not prevent them getting guns and going after them. You had shots and then children trying to get out - no way anyone could fail to help them.
That's not what I am saying at all sir.
What I am saying is, these good folks let the parents and the news media practically up to the door. Any competant western law enforcement or counter terrorist force would have set up a perimeter, and not let anyone within a half mile of the place.
When it all went to hell, the good guys couldn't tell the difference between parents, teachers, janitors and bad guys. You certainly do not need frantic moms, dads and grandparents running around in the midst of a counter assault.
Finally, before there is any misunderstanding, I don't for a moment blame the townspeople. I know I would be beside myself if my kid was in a building with a bunch of thugs. However, it was the job of the authorities to have control of the perimeter of the school. If they had the place locked down, no bad guys would have been able to escape.
The cops, the soldiers and the parents were sincere. They did what they had to do, but it seems apparent that they were not well prepared to deal with the siege.
I wouldn't be surprised to find out that some of the townspeople ended up shot by the authorities by mistake.If someone runs up with a gun and starts shooting, how are the cops supposed to know whether they are a terrorist or a disdraught parent?
You are correct, I was referring to when the van went in to pick up the bodies and all hell broke loose.
A perimeter should have been set up. I imagine there was absolute chaos and no controlling the parents with an attack this massive.
So very sad. All the blame goes against those terrorists. Who would have ever thought such could happen so hard to be prepared for such.
Of course, our security and all other countries now must get prepared for such because this will not be the last of these attacks.
I heard that 30 relatives of one of the Chechen leaders were taken by hooded persons to an unknown location. Frankly, I hope it is true.
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