ARAB-RUSSIAN RELATIONS - Nov. 3 - Qatar Asks Moscow To Play Greater ME Role.

Russian FM Igor Ivanov says Qatari Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani has asked Pres. Putin to expand Moscow's participation in ending the violence and revive the peace process. Ivanov says: "They (Putin and Hamad) discussed the situation in the Middle East, including those steps that can be taken by the international community. The Arab world attaches great importance to a more active participation by Russia in the Middle East process. That is what the Qatari Emir's message says". (Russia's position as a close Arab ally has been complicated by its 13-month offensive in the predominantly Muslim Chechnya. On December 1999, Russian secret services accused Qatar of being the main financial backer of Chechen rebels). Ivanov adds that, during his Nov.3 meeting with FM Shaikh Hamad Bin Jassem Al Thani, the latter said Islamic states viewed the Chechen war as Russia's internal affair, but at the same time were prepared to offer Chechens humanitarian assistance. (Qatar is shortly to house the next Islamic summit).