Victor Posuvaliuk, the envoy, said in remarks broadcast by Israel Radio:
"We have all rights in our opinion to take part in all the efforts, when the time comes, ... related to Jerusalem.
"Russia possesses the biggest Orthodox Christian community in the world ... We have a considerable Moslem community in Russia, and we have a historic tradition with the Holy Land."
Israel said it would listen to any religious concerns Russia might raise but the issue was closed from a political viewpoint.
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