MOSCOW, June 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will play a proactive role in bringing about a peace settlement in the Middle East, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday at a meeting in the Foreign Ministry.
"Both on the bilateral level and as party to the 'Quartet' of international mediators [which also includes the U.S., EU, and UN], Russia is determined to play a proactive role in the Middle East peace process," he said.
"In the past few years, Russia's traditional contacts with Arab countries in the Middle East have been complemented with close and constructive dialogue with Israel," he said.
