MOSCOW, July 22 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Foreign Ministry proposed Saturday an emergency meeting on the escalating conflict in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories with representatives of key countries and international organizations.
The ministry proposed that representatives of the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, Italy, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Nations, European Union, and the World Bank, meet in Beirut or Rome to find a means of ending the escalating violence in the Mideast.
"With each day it becomes clearer that under conditions of a growing crisis, action must be taken as swiftly and effectively as possible to end the bloodshed and violence, and halt the suffering of hundreds of thousands of innocent people and the destruction of civilian infrastructure," the ministry said.
"In view of the dangerous development of the armed confrontation in Lebanon... we feel it necessary to hold a meeting between the countries and sides that can make a real contribution to overcoming this crisis. The best step would be to meet in Beirut as soon as possible, for example at the beginning of next week," the ministry said.
"However, Moscow is willing to take into account the proposals of our other partners, including from the security standpoint, and their preparedness for specific discussions. Taking into account all of these factors, a meeting could be arranged in Rome between the foreign ministers of Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and also representatives of the UN, the European Union, and the World Bank," the statement said.
