Israel, Russia exchange views

JERUSALEM, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Israel and Russia Monday agreed to step up cooperation in combating violent militants but seemed to have made little headway in resolving other differences.

The issues came up as Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spent Monday in Jerusalem meeting Israeli officials. Lavrov is on a swing through the Middle East that includes visits to Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.

The agreement to cooperate in fighting extremists comes as both countries have been hard hit by such attacks.

"The terror attacks in Russia, Spain and other states require all of us to unite and develop cooperation," Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. He spoke in Russian and an embassy official translated his remarks into Hebrew.

Shalom struck a similar note: "The terror which has hit Russia in the last two weeks is no different from the terror which has struck New York or Istanbul or Madrid or Tel Aviv or Beersheba. This fact is recognized by the Russian leadership as well," he said.

Lavrov said it is not enough to merely call for counter-terror activity. Concrete steps are needed and Russia would always be ready to provide its partners with information and would receive intelligence with thanks, he continued according to his translator.

"International terrorism is now the most dangerous enemy of all states and nations. ... The present situation is very grave," he said.

Earlier, at the closed meeting with Shalom and their aides Lavrov advocated a network of international cooperation to combat militants. He reportedly said Russia and Israel already have "a good level" of information exchange. Apparently, the idea was to enhance that cooperation.

Israel, largely through the Prime Minister's adviser on terror, has been cooperating for years with Western security services.

Sunday Sharon phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin, talked about expanding counter-terror cooperation, and after the Sharon-Lavrov meeting the Prime Minister's Office said the two have agreed to "tighten coordination and cooperation in the intelligence, operational and humanitarian areas."

Israeli hospitals have offered to treat Russian children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders or send doctors to Russia to help out there.

The Russians did not yet take Israel up on its offer.

"Israel was one of the first states to have offered help. ... We'll decide about concrete ways," Lavrov told the reporters.

Differences emerged in the closed meeting that preceded the joint press conference, according to descriptions by very well informed sources.

Shalom argued that Iran's nuclear program endangers "the entire international community."

"International pressure on Iran must be intensified dramatically if we are to prevent Iran's nuclear ambitions, and Russia, once again, has a key role to play in this effort," Shalom stressed.

Lavrov, whose country has been helping Iran, reportedly told Shalom Russia is the last country in the world to want Iran to have a nuclear bomb.

However, he reportedly added, the reactor Iran is building in Bushehr is not designed to produce nuclear bombs.

If Israel has concrete information to prove that is not the case, "Tell us," he reportedly asked.

Shalom noted that Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, one of Iran's most influential political leaders, has said one missile could destroy Israel.

Clearly that was not a missile with a conventional warhead, Shalom implied.

The Israeli minister urged U.N. Security Council action.

"We either follow international rules on the nuclear issue or we operate on the basis of feelings," Lavrov reportedly countered.

The Bushehr reactor has violated no international laws, Lavrov reportedly argued. What is needed is not Security Council action but strengthening supervision over Iran's program. Iran agreed to it, he reportedly added.

When asked about the issue at the press conference, Lavrov said the matter should be kept out of the realm of public diplomacy. It should be dealt with quietly, through security services, he said.

Lavrov rejected also Israel's requests for international pressure on Syria to pull its troops out of Lebanon.

Shalom talked of the Palestinian militant organizations that have offices in Damascus and said that Iran pays suicide bombers' families.

"Syria's continued interference in Lebanon and its open support for terror undermine the international community's efforts to bring peace and stability to our region. The leaders of the international community must make it clear to Syria that it will pay a heavy price for its continued support of terror," Shalom urged.

"Terror has no justification," Lavrov reportedly said. When children are taught by fundamentalist elements and not teachers, these are the results.

However, he countered, the Lebanese have agreed to Syrian presence on their land.

Russia's ambassador to Israel, Gennady Tarasov, reportedly added that if a referendum were held in Lebanon, now, most of the people would have voted for continued Syrian presence.

In what Israelis took as a dig, Lavrov noted Israel is suddenly calling for respecting U.N. Security Council resolutions, but is afraid to do so when it comes to resolutions concerning Israel itself.

He did not react to Shalom's complaint that in the past 21 U.N. votes -- Russia voted 17 times against Israel and abstained on the other votes.