Sharon promises cooperation with Russia to combat terrorism

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made a telephone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, promising Israeli cooperation with Russia to concentrate efforts to combat terrorism, local newspaper Haaretz reported on its website.

"We must concentrate political and intelligence efforts so as to destroy terror," Sharon was quoted as saying.

Some 30 heavily armed militants seized a school in Beslan in Russia's southern republic of North Ossetia on Wednesday, holding some 1,000 children and adults hostage for over 51 hours.On Friday afternoon, children began to flee the school after two explosions. Then a gunbattle between security forces and captors erupted as the gunmen opened fire on escaping children. Some 333 people were killed and more than 700 wounded during the rescue operation, according to official confirmation.

During the phone conversation, Sharon and Putin agreed that cooperation in the security, intelligence and humanitarian field swould continue.

Putin also expressed his condolences for last week's bus bombings in Be'er Sheva, saying that the Russians value Israel's resolve in preventing terror attacks.

It was announced that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is to meet Sharon in Jerusalem on Monday for talks likely to center onthe need for greater global anti-terror efforts following the deadly seizure by militants of the Russian school in Beslan.An Israeli official said Russia now has greater cause to listen to what Israel has to say.

Source: Xinhua