(Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Bureau)

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman met in Rome (6 March 2014) with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss bilateral and regional matters.

FM Liberman expressed concern over events in Syria, noting that the missiles intercepted yesterday aboard a ship bound for Gaza were of Syrian origin. We have recently witnessed an increase in attempts by Syria to transfer sophisticated and advanced weapons tp Hizballah and to Hamas, and Israel will not accept this. We also view with concern attempts by extremist groups to increase tension in the Golan Heights. FM Liberman told FM Lavrov that he hopes Russia will continue to ensure that all chemical weapons are removed from Syria.

The ministers also discussed the Palestinian issue and other issues on the agenda. FM Liberman expressed satisfaction with the good relations between the two countries and the continued strengthening of ties in the areas of economy, trade, tourism, and more.