Russia, Israel Vow to Cooperate in Curbing Weapons

The prime ministers of Russia and Israel pledged Monday to boost economic and political ties and agreed to cooperate more closely to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, on a whistle-stop tour of three former Soviet republics, also urged Moscow to play a more active role in the Middle East peace process.

“Relations between Israel and Russia are excellent,” he told reporters after talks with Prime Minister Yevgeny M. Primakov at the White House, headquarters of the Russian federal government.

Primakov, an Arabic-speaking Middle East expert, tried to reassure Netanyahu about the alleged transfer of Russian nuclear technology and know-how to Iran, archfoe of the Jewish state.

“I can state quite clearly and unequivocally that Russia observes all international norms relating to export controls and does everything necessary to exclude any leaks that would help the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It has been and remains our policy,” Primakov said.

Netanyahu, who arrived in Moscow on Sunday after talks in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, said Israel and Russia have a common interest in preventing the spread of such weapons in the volatile Middle East.

“We discussed measures that would increase our confidence,” he said without elaborating.

Israel and the United States have been critical of Russia’s help with Iran’s civil atomic energy program, but Moscow insists that the assistance violates no international accords and has no military purpose.

Netanyahu said he wanted to “double, triple or quadruple” bilateral trade, saying Russia’s industrial capacity and Israel’s technological expertise could make a formidable combination and benefit both countries.