Moscow, Sept 27: The Russian Foreign Ministry said today it has appointed Alexander Kalugin as its new envoy to the Middle East, as incumbent Andrei Vdovin was taking up a new post. Russia is one of the four members of the so-called "quartet" behind the middle east peace roadmap, alongside the European Union, the United Nations and the United States. "The new special envoy to the Middle East has been asked to maintain contacts with all interested parties, at both regional and international level, including the members of the quartet of international peace brokers, with a view to implementing the roadmap and to make progress towards an overall settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Russian government wants an overall settlement of the Mideast conflict and therefore has been insisting for Syria and the Lebanon to be included in the roadmap for peace in the region. Bureau Report