Lieberman and Mashaal won't meet in Russia

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Published: FEBRUARY 25, 2007 18:57
Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Hamas leader Khaled Mashal will be in Moscow at the same time on Monday but Lieberman's spokesman said on Sunday they had no plans to meet. "It's more than safe to assume that they won't meet unless they happen to be staying in the same hotel and meet in the elevator," a Lieberman adviser said. Lieberman left on Sunday for meetings in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir's Putin's diplomatic adviser, his national security adviser and the head of the Russian atomic energy commission. The goal of the trip is to persuade the Russian leadership to stop the building of the Iranian nuclear reactor and the transfer of arms to Hizbullah. Lieberman will also take with him a letter from the families of kidnapped IDF soldiers Gilad Schalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. Lieberman will ask the Russian leadership to pressure Mashal to bring about the soldiers' release from captivity.