Addressing a business conference in Cernobbio, Italy on Saturday, US Vice President Dick Cheney told the audience that Russia’s continued sale of advanced arms to Syria and Iran complicates peace-making efforts in the Mideast. He explained that many of these weapons have made their way to Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon.

President Shimon Peres met privately with Mr. Cheney at the conference, aides to the president stated the American vice president told him that these arms make their way to Hizbullah to be used against Israel.

Among the other topics discussed by the two were the Hamas threat, the Iranian nuclear threat and the situation in Georgia. Cheney returned from a tour of Caucasus before the conference, giving the participants an up-to-date analysis, explaining Russian troops are still deployed in areas of Georgia.

President Peres called on America and the European community to work together towards creating an alternative fuel source since oil he stated was the major source of funding for global terrorism, pointing to the growing Iranian threat.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)