Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference Tuesday that the Quartet mechanism needed to be expanded to be more effective.
Following a meeting with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Lavrov said that the quartet recently decided to set up a committee that would include representatives from the Arab League.
Presently the quartet is made up of representatives from the EU, US, Russia and the UN.
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At the press conference differences of opinion regarding Hamas were
apparent with Lavrov saying that Moscow would continue to engage with
Hamas. Lieberman said that this is one point of disagreement between
them.
Regarding the deliveries of S-300 anti missile systems to Iran, Lavrov
referred to a recent UN sanctions resolution and said that Russia abided
by international decisions and that a presidential decree on what
weapons will and will not be sold will be released shortly.
Lieberman responded by saying Iran is the biggest threat to the middle east not just because of its nuclear program but also becasue of its support for terrorist organizations.
Lieberman continued by saying he does not think that a Palestinian state will be established until 2012.
Lavrov will meet with Peres, Barak and Netanyahu before he travels to
Ramallah and Cairo.