MOSCOW
(AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday met with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sought to assuage Israel's fears of
potential Iranian and Syrian aggression.
The
West has been concerned about Russia's military buildup in Syria,
suspecting that the intention is to support the government of President
Bashar Assad. Russia has insisted that its aim is to help Syria, a
longtime ally, fight the Islamic State group.
Netanyahu told Putin
at the start of the meeting at his residence outside Moscow that Iran
and Syria have been supplying Hezbollah with advanced weapons and are
"trying to set up a second terrorist front on the Golan Heights," which
Israel captured from Syria and effectively annexed in 1981.Putin responded by saying the fears of Syrian aggression against Israel were unfounded.
"We
know that the Syrian army and Syria as a whole are in such a state that
they have no time for a second front. They need to save their own
state," Putin told Netanyahu in televised comments. "But still, I
understand your concerns."
Netanyahu
told Putin that Israel's policy was to prevent these weapons transfers
and thus he felt it was important to inform Russia of this, "to make
sure that there was no misunderstanding between our forces."
Monday's
meeting was the first between the two leaders since November 2013,
although they have spoken by telephone three times this year, the
Kremlin said.
The U.S. also
has warned that Russia's movement of tactical aircraft and
surface-to-air missiles to Syria could pose a threat to American and
allied forces fighting IS.
Satellite
imagery also has shown the recent arrival of Russian tanks, armored
personnel carriers and other military equipment at an air base near the
Syrian coastal city of Latakia.
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