Russian military support was so far limited to arms supplies and training on new weapons from Russia, Moualem said, adding that his country’s ties with Moscow were strategic. The Pentagon will take the lead in the discussions but the exact level, venue and timing have yet to be determined, officials said.
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Russian Federation wants talks with the USA military to ensure their forces do not come into conflict as it continues its build-up in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday, AFP reports. “The secretary stressed that there is no military solution to the overall conflict in Syria, which can only be resolved by a political transition away from Assad“, the State Department said.
The United States has expressed concern about the ongoing Russian military buildup in Syria, which it believes is aimed at propping up Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Kerry confirmed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the proposal in a telephone conversation on Tuesday and that the White House and both the Defence and State Departments are studying it.
“Obviously, there a questions about that”, he said.
The Syrian president denied that there were Iranian troops fighting alongside his army, but acknowledged the strong alliance between the two governments.
“That all being said, we have long indicated we could welcome constructive contributions from the Russians to the anti-ISIL coalition“, he said, using an acronym for Islamic State.
According to The Associated Press, Putin also urged the other countries present at the meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, to provide military support to the Syrian government. Kerry was later flying to London for talks, separately, with his British and United Arab Emirates counterparts.
“If you are anxious about them, stop supporting terrorists“, said Assad, referring to Europe-bound Syrians.
“Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Jordan, who pretend to be part of a coalition against terrorism in northern Syria, actually support terrorism in the south, the north and the northwest, virtually in the same regions in which they are supposed to be fighting terrorism“, Assad alleged.
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Amid fears Russian Federation is planning to expand its role in the country’s raging civil war, President Barack Obama met with King Salman of Saudi Arabia last Friday to repeat their demand that any lasting settlement in Syria would require an end to the Assad regime.
