Monday 19 October 2009

Russians Deal Lieberman 'Slap' by Endorsing Goldstone


Russians Deal Lieberman 'Slap' by Endorsing Goldstone
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19/10/2009 Israel relayed a sharply worded protest to the Russian government following Russia's vote in favor of adopting the Goldstone report at the Human Rights Council in Geneva Friday, according to senior Foreign Ministry officials in Tel Aviv.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman suffered a personal blow by the Russian vote, which went against the promises he received from his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, days prior to the vote at the United Nations body.

Russian officials clarified that Moscow would oppose any discussion of the Goldstone report by the UN Security Council, Israeli Radio claimed on Sunday night.

There was no official comment from the Russian side concerning this issue.

Russia's envoy to Israel met over the weekend with Israeli Foreign Ministry official Pinchas Avivi to hand him a letter of clarification from Lavrov about Russia's vote at the Human Rights Council, according to Israel Radio.

Sources at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, however, said that the Russians' behavior was tantamount to a "slap in the face for Lieberman," whose policy has been based on a "strategic dialogue" with Russia.

Notwithstanding his disappointment, Lieberman was careful not to attack the government in Moscow publicly. Other countries that were critical of Israel, such as Sweden, Norway, Turkey and China, were slammed by Lieberman.

However, Lieberman opted to keep a low profile, as he did earlier this year when Lavrov met with senior figures from Hamas. His office also refused to comment on this report.

Senior Israeli Foreign Ministry officials said that Lieberman had been personally insulted by the Russian vote. Since the release of the Goldstone report a month ago, Lieberman spoke some 10 times with Lavrov and asked that Moscow not support the report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke prior to the vote with President Dmitry Medvedev.

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