Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday welcomed Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad for talks focusing on Middle East peace efforts, tensions among Palestinians and the situation in Lebanon _part of Moscow's attempt to strengthen its role in the region. Putin talked on Friday with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, who asked Moscow to use its influence with Damascus, a Soviet-era ally, to help improve the Lebanese-Syrian ties. «Unfortunately, the situation in the Middle East remains tense,» Putin told Assad at the start of their talks in the Kremlin. «We are seeing that one conflict in the region is developing after another, and that can't but concern us.» Putin and Assad were expected to talk about easing tensions among the Palestinians, where supporters of the president and the prime minister have been locked in a violent standoff, as well as efforts to hold peace talks between Syria and Israel, the Associated Press reported.
