Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev, third left, and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, left, inspect a military guard of honour at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, May 12, 2010. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is in Turkey on a visit aimed at improving trade and tourism between the two nations.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
Islam Times reports from AP: Medvedev spoke Wednesday in Turkey, his second stop in the region after Syria where he said that Israeli-Arab tensions threaten to draw the Middle East into a new catastrophe, adding Moscow's weight to a diplomatic push to ease antagonism between Israel and Syria. On the Palestinian conflict, Medvedev says "we are facing a human tragedy in Gaza." Russia has been building up its influence as a Middle East mediator, pledged its assistance in pushing the region toward peace. Turkey is also pursuing a similar policy and mediated between Syria and Israel
