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MOSCOW AGREES TO KEEP OUT OF LEBANESE AFFAIRS

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MOSCOW, May 27 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow and Beirut have agreed that Russia should remain neutral in Lebanese affairs, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a report Friday after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Saltanov's visit to Lebanon.

Saltanov met with Lebanese President Emile Lahud, Parliament Speaker Nahib Berry, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hamoud.

At their meetings "both sides underscored the necessity of preserving internal peace, stability and national accord, and also the impermissibility of outward interference into Lebanese affairs," the document says.

Taking into consideration Syria's fulfillment of commitments, the sides discussed implementing the Security Council's decision.

"Both sides expressed a common point of view that further growth in the pressure on Syria was counter-productive to the interests of stabilization in the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

During the conversations, the sides exchanged points of view on a broad range of regional problems and the development of Russian-Lebanese relations. The Lebanese side assessed the situation in the country on the eve of the coming parliamentary elections.

Saltanov expressed hope for the elections' success, having pointed out that the elections will open a new page in the history of Lebanon on its way towards progress and the strengthening of democracy.

At these meetings the Lebanese politicians underscored the importance of Russia's policy in the Middle East as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and of the quartet of international mediators (UN, US, EU).

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