Israeli FM seeks appeasement with US over Iran talks

Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stressed the importance of relations with the United States after returning to office Tuesday morning, despite disagreements in the country on the U.S. approach toward Iran's nuclear issue. Lieberman was forced to resign nearly a year ago amid an indictment filed against him on charges of fraud and breach of trust, in a case where he allegedly promoted a diplomat who gave him secret information about a police probe against him. After his acquittal on Wednesday, the cabinet and the knesset ( parliament) approved his return to the political sphere and he resumed the post kept for him by his political ally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, since January's elections. Lieberman's first public statement was surprisingly appeasing, despite his hawkish and nationalistic views. "Disagreements are natural, ... It's important to calm things down," Lieberman said, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry. "Our relations with the United States are a cornerstone and without that we cannot maneuver in the contemporary world," he added. "At the basis, the relations are good and stable and nothing will change that," he concluded. Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry have been exchanging blows over disagreements on a proposed draft agreement which came up between Iran and the P5+1 nations in talks held in Geneva over the weekend. Netanyahu has repeatedly criticized since Friday what he said was a "bad agreement," charging it would ease sanctions on Iran and not demand Tehran halt its Uranium enrichment. Kerry, for his part, said Netanyahu is not familiar with the details of the agreement and therefore cannot judge it. Israeli President Shimon Peres also spoke on Monday in an attempt to ease tensions between his country and the United States and called the latter "our best friend" and expressed his trust on the U.S. administration's handling of the Iranian issue. On Sunday, a delegation of U.S. officials, headed by Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Wendy Sherman, updated Israeli officials on the progress of the Geneva talks. The next round of the talks will be held on Nov. 20. Iran insists its nuclear activities are aimed at peaceful purposes, while Netanyahu claims it is an existential threat to Israel.