Transcript: Beginning of Putin Netanyahu meeting

Beginning of meeting with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu
May 14, 2013, 16:40 Sochi

http://eng.kremlin.ru/transcripts/5415

PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR PUTIN: Mr Prime Minister, colleagues and
friends, I am very pleased to see you here in Russia. Mr Prime Minister, we
are in constant contact, in phone contact with you and your colleagues.

I remember my trip to Israel for the unveiling of the monument to Soviet
soldiers killed during World War II. Once again I want to thank you for that
event, the wonderful monument, and the hospitality I received throughout my
visit.

As I understand, internal political procedures in Israel are just concluding
and it will now be possible to focus on both the economy and foreign
affairs.

I would like to point out at once that in general I think our bilateral
relations are characterised by positive trends. Good work is being done at
the expert level.

Of course, I hope to talk to you about the situation in the Middle East,
including in Syria.

Thank you for having accepted our invitation. Thank you very much.

Welcome to Russia.

PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: (in Russian) Thank you Mr
President.

(Re-translated.) I’m working on my Russian.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: We can hear your progress.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: I’m trying to use every one of our meetings – meetings
that I truly appreciate – for this purpose among others. But we understand
each other perfectly well in any language. And I very much appreciate your
invitation.

You are absolutely right. We approved our [2013-14 state] budget at a
Cabinet meeting and a few hours later I landed here in Sochi (I arrived at 5
am). Sochi is a wonderful, thriving city, and this is also a sign that
Russia is developing and flourishing.

For this reason, just as we met here I suggested that we hold our next
meeting in Eilat. There is silence and tranquillity in both these cities.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: I was there, and it is a very nice place.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: Of course, we want to preserve the peaceful and tranquil
atmosphere in both cities. However, recently rockets have been fired more
than once at Eilat from the Sinai Peninsula. This reminds us all that the
region in which we live is constantly seething; it remains unstable and in
some senses even explosive.

So I’m very happy to have the opportunity to discuss ways to stabilise our
region, the paths that will result in additional security and more
tranquillity there. Naturally, the region where we live is very important to
us, but I know that it is important to you too. Together we can think about
how to stabilise it and make it more secure.

Thank you once again for the invitation.

NaN/May 14, 2013, 16:40Sochi