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Putin, Schroeder Urge Pressure on Mideast Leaders to Calm Crisis
HANOVER, Germany, Dec. 9 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Sunday called for pressure on both Israelis and Palestinians to stop the violence in the region from spiraling out of control.
After meeting for nearly two hours of informal talks at Schroeder's home in this northern German city, the chancellor said the two leaders were deeply concerned about escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Schroeder told reporters that he and Putin agreed that "pressure must be put on both sides" to contribute to calming the crisis, which threatened to worsen again Sunday as rightwing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Israel might step up military operations, Agence France- Presse (AFP) reported.
Israel has in the past week attacked the headquarters of Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority, as well as destroying several of its police stations.
Israel has assassinated at least 70 Palestinian political leaders and figures in the 14 months since the beginning of the latest Intifada, or uprising, against illegal Israeli occupation.
Israel also increased violence against Palestinian civilians this weekend, killing four Sunday during raids into Palestinian territories. Over 800 Palestinians have been killed in the latest uprising.
Putin and Schroeder also discussed the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan and international efforts to combat terror.
Schroeder praised Russia's commitment to the coalition against terrorism - a contribution which on Friday earned Moscow an agreement from NATO to take relations to a higher level by creating a new decision-making council for joint action that would give Russia a say, but no veto, on security matters.
Putin said the two men had discussed Russia's future relationship with NATO and that he was "very satisfied" with Schroeder's position and assumed that Russia's cooperation with the alliance would continue to progress.
He did not provide further details.
The German chancellor said the "relative success" in Afghanistan marked by the fall of the Taliban and the agreement on an interim government in Kabul signed in Bonn last week would not have been possible without Russia's help.
Putin congratulated Schroeder on hosting the U.N.-sponsored conference in the former West German capital. He said that while not everyone could be completely satisfied with its outcome, it was the best possible agreement that could be made now.
Both leaders said that there were no points of friction in bilateral relations and stressed their own personal rapport.
Putin, who arrived from Greece after a three-day official visit, left Germany in the early afternoon.
The Russian leader is to meet U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is touring Europe and Central Asia, on Monday in Moscow.
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