May 29, 2002	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 16,1423

MOSCOW, May 28: Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to cooperate closely with Saudi Arabia to stabilise the situation in the Middle East, in a letter to King Fahd released on Monday by the Kremlin press service.

“As a co-sponsor of the Middle East peace process, Russia is ready for close cooperation with Saudi Arabia to stabilise the situation and resume the (peace) negotiation process,” Putin said in the letter, written in response to a message from the Saudi monarch last month.

Putin said Russia’s main objective was “the full implementation of resolution 1402” — the UN Security Council resolution adopted on March 30 which calls for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank, including Ramallah, where the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority are located.

The Russian leader said pressure for the urgent implementation of resolution 1402 has helped limit the escalation of violence in the Middle East but the situation remained tense and confrontation could recur.—AFP