| GEO World | | Israel's Olmert to travel to Moscow next week | Updated at: 1836 PST, Sunday, September 28, 2008
JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office says the Israeli leader will travel to Moscow next week for talks with Russian leaders.
It says Olmert is making the trip at the invitation of the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev.
Israel's ties with Russia have been strained in recent months. Israel fears that Russian weapons sold to Syria could reach the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, and is concerned about a possible sale by Russia of advanced anti-aircraft missiles to Iran. Israel also wants Russia to take a tougher line in diplomatic efforts to control Iran's nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Russia is upset over Israel's close ties to Georgia, which have included weapons sales. In a nod to Russia, Israel began downgrading those ties even before Russia's brief war against Georgia in August. |  |
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