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389870
Thu, 12/03/2015 - 10:31
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Russia-India-Iran expert format to give Russia firmer foothold in Middle East

MOSCOW, December 2. /TASS/. The trilateral Russia-India-Iran expert format will give Russia a firmer foothold in the Near and Middle East, the chief of the regional programs unit at the Russian World Fund, Georgy Toloraya, has told TASS by telephone. At the moment he is participating in a trilateral meeting of pundits in New Delhi. "This is an innovation format created in cooperation with India’s non-governmental organization Observer Research Foundation," Toloraya said. "There’d been no such resource of public diplomacy until just recently." "At the beginning of this year India came out with a corresponding idea in view of the latest developments around Iran and the Middle East in general. We supported it," Toloraya said. "The first meeting was in Moscow in June. We discussed a wide range of cooperation, and not just political or economic one. The analysts came together in an attempt to start a dialogue of three civilizations, of three countries that are the most important actors in this no simple region." Toloraya is certain that such a dialogue will be in greater demand still. Experts from Russia, India and Iran are discussing the most acute problems of the Near and Middle East, including situations in Syria and Turkey. "Objectively Iran’s involvement in these processes is welcome, at least, from Russia’s standpoint. Indian specialists uphold this view. In the current situation, against the backdrop of complicated relations with Turkey, the mechanism of discussions by experts gives Russia an extra leverage and a means to strengthen positions in the region. Toloraya mentioned the idea of expanding the existing format by inviting Pakistan and Afghanistan to join in. "Some voiced an idea of expanding the dialogue and of trying to bring to the negotiating table experts from such antagonist countries as India, Pakistan and Afghanistan," he explained. "In any case they might try to turn an attentive ear to each other and to argue." The struggle with terrorism and the situation in Afghanistan are high on the agenda. "These ideas (of resistance to terrorism - TASS) may be built up from within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other formats, such as bilateral relations between Russia and Iran," he said. Nothing optimistic was said about Afghanistan at the forum. The next meeting of experts is due in Tehran. Read more

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