Liberman talks with Russian counterpart about peace talks jumpstart

Conversation between defense ministers reportedly initiated by Israel; two agree to meet later in the month on sidelines of security summit

By Stuart Winer

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6 February 2017, 4:23 pm

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Stuart Winer is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (left) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (right) arrive for a joint press conference following their meeting in Moscow on January 26, 2015. (photo credit: AFP/Vasily Maximov)

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman spoke by telephone Monday with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the ongoing efforts to end the Syrian civil war and about moribund peace efforts with the Palestinians.

The two “discussed possibilities for restarting the diplomatic process between Israel and the Palestinians,” a statement from Israel’s Defense Ministry read.

Russia has recently sought to take a leading role in peace efforts, offering to host direct talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

According to Russia’s TASS news agency, the Liberman-Lavrov conversation was initiated by Israel.

“The ministers exchanged views on problems facing the Middle East, focusing on the situation in Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian issue,” read a statement from the Kremlin, according to TASS.

The two, who have met in the past, arranged to continue their discussions on the sidelines of the annual two-day Munich Security Conference which begins on February 17.

Iran was not mentioned in either statement, despite Israeli leaders pushing recently for new sanctions on Tehran following ballistic missile tests. However, Lavrov later released a statement defending Iran and rebuffing claims that the Islamic Republic sponsors terror abroad.

“We have long pressed for creating a genuinely universal front of struggle against terrorism. I am certain that if we make an unbiased approach to the potential members of such a coalition, Iran must be part of our common efforts,” Lavrov said, according to TASS.

Liberman and Lavrov also spoke about peace talks being held in Astana, Kazakhstan, between representatives of the Syrian government and the rebel forces fighting to overthrow it. The talks, sponsored by Russia, Iran, and Turkey, have so far succeeded in establishing a joint system to monitor a frail truce in the war-torn country.

At the end of December Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the situation in neighboring Syria, as well as other regional issues.

After the first round of Syria peace talks in Astana last month the sides agreed to “establish a trilateral mechanism to observe and ensure full compliance with the ceasefire, prevent any provocations and determine all modalities of the ceasefire,” according to a final statement read at the time by Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov.

Rebel backer Turkey and regime allies Russia and Iran also support the presence of the armed opposition at political negotiations under UN auspices set to take place next month in Geneva, the statement said.

A ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey has been in place since late December 30, 2016, but both rebels and Damascus have complained of repeated violations.

AFP contributed to this report.