OREANDA-NEWS. October 20, 2009. Alexander Saltanov, Russia’s Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Deputy Foreign Minister, visited Beirut on October 17 and 19 as part of a regional tour. He was received by President Michel Sleiman and also had meetings with Chamber of Deputies Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, Caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh and a number of other Lebanese politicians.

Saltanov emphasized the importance of preserving and further reinforcing stability in Lebanon, expeditiously completing the formation of a national unity government representing all the Lebanese and dealing with pressing intra-Lebanese problems on the basis of consensus and national dialogue in order to consolidate the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and peace and stability in the Middle East.

During the conversations, the Lebanese side was informed about Russia's efforts to facilitate the resumption of a full-scale Arab-Israeli negotiating process on a generally recognized international legal basis, including the Arab peace initiative, particularly within the framework of the preparation for the Moscow Conference on the Middle East.

The Lebanese interlocutors reaffirmed their commitment to a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East, which alone in their belief can ensure strict respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Lebanon, and the solution of the other problems generated by the Arab-Israeli conflict and affecting the interests of the Lebanese people and state.

In concrete terms, the sides also discussed further steps to enhance Russian-Lebanese relations with a view to their comprehensive development.