October 19, 2007 (LPAC)--Lyndon LaRouche evaluated yesterday's three-hour meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Russian President Putin as follows:

"It's very important. This is extremely important, because we know exactly what it is. The point is, that the question is Iran. The issue is,-- it involves everything, including the US policy on this missile-defense thing. And so, what Putin is going for, is to get a package which is attractive to a number of people, and see what can fly from it. It's obvious. And therefore, from the standpoint of Israel, are they going to go to this Annapolis meeting or not? The Annapolis meeting question hangs, to some degree, on specifically that question, why should they go? Maybe it's a liability to go. Maybe it's better that Israel doesn't go at all, rather than go to a booboo session.

"I think that's what the issue was," LaRouche continued, "because, obviously, Olmert would have to have that kind of information, and he would run like hell to Moscow to get it. A several-hour discussion? That is not a minor thing, especially with an Israeli talking to a Russian leader."

An Olmert spokesman told Ha'aretz newspaper, "Russian President Vladimir Putin exhibited great understanding of the Israeli position regarding all matters on the agenda, especially the Iranian issue. There was an open and serious atmosphere, and the prime minister is very pleased with the results of his visit."

LaRouche remarked, "Absolutely! That's exactly what I would expect. So, something worked. What, we don't know,-- but something did."