Olmert in Russia: Iranians should 'be afraid'

PM Olmert placing a flower on the grave of the unknown soldier in Moscow on Wednesday. (AP)

(This is not necessary the opinion of the Blog Administrator.)

October 18, 2006

By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies

MOSCOW - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that Israel will not allow a situation in which Iran gains access to unconventional weapons and warned Iranians to "be afraid."

"I will not address sensitive issues, if we will do this or do that, but the Iranians should be afraid," Olmert told reporters following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov in Moscow."

The Iranians need to be afraid that something will happen that they do not want to happen to them," Olmert continued.

"We don't have the privilege to allow a situation in which Iran has the capability for unconventional weapons," he said.

He also told Putin that Russia must exert its influence to help solve the international standoff surrounding Iran's nuclear program.

"Russia has a central and very important role in the world, especially with regard to the nuclear standoff which is worrying us all," Olmert said in his opening remarks to the Russian president.

Putin did not address Iran's nuclear program in his comments to Olmert during their meeting.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, however, said on Wednesday that international action over Tehran's nuclear program must be in proportion to the real situation in Iran, which he added does not appear to include a threat to peace and security.

"It is necessary to act on Iran but that action should be in direct proportion to what is really happening," the RIA news agency quoted Lavrov as saying.

"And what is really happening is what the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] reports to us. And the IAEA is not reporting to us about the presence there of a threat to peace and security," said Lavrov.

During his meeting with Olmert, Putin praised Russia's improved ties with Israel, which he attributed to the "mutual faith" exhibited by both countries and to the large population of Russian emigrants in Israel.

The Russian government made a few gestures in honor of Olmert's three-day visit to Moscow and the 15th anniversary of the renewal of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Some of the gestures were ceremonial in nature, while others had diplomatic and military significance.

On the ceremonial side, Putin agreed to make a statement to the press at the conclusion of his meeting with Olmert at the Kremlin on Wednesday. The Russian president does not usually make such statements after working meetings, as opposed to state visits. The usual practice after a working meeting is to hold a photo opportunity only.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov's decision to meet with Olmert is another gesture, which is aimed at underscoring a third gesture: A Russian directive issued last week to increase supervision over the country's arms exports. The directive is intended to prevent Russian arms from ending up with a third party, as occurred during the war in Lebanon, when Russian antitank missiles meant for Syria were transferred to Hezbollah and used against Israeli soldiers.

Haaretz has learned that the Israel Defense Forces captured 39 such missiles, some of them in their original packaging, along with shipment papers and other documentation, including serial numbers. Israeli officials showed photographs of these missiles and copies of the documentation to their Russian counterparts during meetings in Moscow about a month ago.

Links:

Iran issues stark warning over sanctions moves

France nears U.N. resolution on Iran