Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vassily Sredin will tour Gulf nations in early November for talks aimed at finding a solution to the Middle East conflict and sanctions against Iraq, Interfax news agency reported Thursday.
Sredin will visit Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, between October 31 and November 8.
"Talks with regional leaders will focus on attempts to find a solution to the Middle East conflict and the Iraqi question," Sredin told Interfax.
Discussions will also revolve around "bilateral relations and ways to enhance economic and commercial ties," he added.
Russia, who along with the United States is a co-sponsor of the Middle East peace process, is a traditional Arab ally but has lost influence in the region and was not invited to the recent US-led Sharm-el-Sheikh summit held to try to end recent Israeli-Palestinian violence – MOSCOW (AFP)
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