MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that he hoped talks in Geneva about Iran’s nuclear program would soon bring a mutually acceptable solution.
“We discussed in detail the situation around the Iranian nuclear program with … the [Israeli] prime minister,” Putin said after talks with Benjamin Netanyahu in the Kremlin.
“We hope mutually acceptable solutions will be found soon,” the Russian leader said. “Russia has an optimistic view.”
Western countries suspect Iran of using its nuclear program to develop atomic weapons, a claim that Iran has consistently denied. Tehran claims it needs atomic technology for producing electricity, although it has some of the world’s largest reserves of oil and gas.
Putin also said Russia hopes bloodshed in Syria, where, according to UN statistics, more than 100,000 people have died in the 2 1/2-year civil war, will soon stop.
Netanyahu said after the talks with Putin that he believes the Iranian nuclear problem should be resolved just like the Syrian chemical weapons problem is being resolved now.
He said Iran should stop uranium enrichment, dismantle centrifuges, have enriched uranium taken out of the country and dismantle its Arak reactor, currently being built. He said that persistency is required on the part of negotiators.
Putin played a key role in brokering a UN deal in September to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile in a development that staved off a possible US-led military intervention.
Netanyahu praised his talks with Putin, saying they were held in a frank and open atmosphere.
