FM Liberman met Russian PM Putin in Moscow
The two leaders discussed bilateral economic and technological cooperation
as well as the Middle East and Iran.
(Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Bureau) 6 December 2009

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman met
on Friday, 4 December, with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
They discussed the situation in the Middle East, the diplomatic process and
the latest pronouncements from Iran.

FM Liberman praised the constructive activities of the Russian-Israeli mixed
commission on trade and economic cooperation, which convened Wednesday
(December 2), and the head of the commission, First Vice-Premier Viktor
Zubkov. Liberman said that the meeting was successful and very effective,
and many bureaucratic problems were solved.

Liberman stated that removal of bureaucratic barriers benefits the
development of economic ties between states, citing as an example the
cancelation of visas between the two states - whereas before the cancelation
of visas 170,000 Russian tourists visited Israel, by the end of this year
more than 400,000 tourists will have come to Israel from Russia.

FM Liberman stressed the need to reach an investment-protection agreement,
an issue that has not progressed for several years, and raised the subject
of social security and pensions for former citizens of the USSR.

PM Putin and FM Liberman discussed cooperation in the realm of technology,
especially clean, green energy (wind and sun).

Liberman conveyed to PM Putin an invitation from PM Netanyahu to visit
Israel in 2010. The Russian prime minister answered in the affirmative.