Lebanon urges Russian help to revive Middle East peace talks

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud is urging Russia help to restart the stalled Middle East peace talks.

He warns that Israeli aggression will complicate regional matters and lead to a long war.

Mr Lahoud made his call during a meeting with Russian Duma speaker, Gennady Seleznyov,.

He urged Russia to play a role to reactivate the Middle East peace process.

They were one of the co-sponsors of this process that began in the (1991) Madrid peace conference with the aim of achieving just and comprehensive peace.

Hostile Israeli policies have "frustrated all attempts to reactivate the peace process and will lead the region into a long war," said President Lahoud.

Mr Seleznyov said Russia has told Israel that Middle East peace cannot be achieved if the Jewish state continues to occupy Arab land.

Lebanese peace talks with Israel have been stalled for two years, while attempts at Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have been plagued by ever-worsening violence.

The United States and Russia cosponsored the Middle East peace talks that began in Madrid, Washington has played a more predominant role in the Israeli-Palestinian crisis in recent years.

Mr Seleznyov also met with Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Iranian-backed Lebanese guerillas fought an 18-year war with occupying Israeli forces, which ended with Israeli troops withdrawing from the territory in May 2000. Lebanon and Israel remain technically at war.