The two leaders met in Moscow and an Israeli official, who declined to be named, said Rivlin had “asked that Russian Federation work to restore UNDOF as part of any long-term arrangement in Syria”, referring to a United Nations peacekeeping force.
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In this photo provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Russian military personnel prepare a plane for take off at Hemeimeem air base in Syria, Tuesday, March 15, 2016.
“The Russian decision to withdraw partially from Syria was taken jointly by a common decision, taken both by President Putin and President Assad”.
He said this in Geneva on the occasion of peace talks.
The first group of bombers left for Russian Federation on Tuesday.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said Russia’s move to withdraw troops along with the opening of UN-mediated Syria talks in Geneva has provided the best opportunity to end the conflict.
“We are ready in the next stage to go in direct negotiations with the regime”, said the spokesman for the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), Salem al-Meslet. “I hope that we’ll be able to discuss them in the short run with the Israeli prime minister with whom we have made arrangements for a meeting”, Putin said.
Although its stated goal was to fight Islamic State militants and other terrorists, much of the Russian campaign has targeted mainstream rebels and helped eject them from core areas considered strategic for Assad’s survival, thereby safeguarding Moscow’s interests in the country.
The peace talks now require more intensive efforts from Russia, the USA and UN, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow on Tuesday.
On the ground, a cease-fire has been in effect since late February.
While the Russian air campaign had brought positive results, it was too early to speak about victory over terrorism and the Russian forces remaining in Syria “have the task of continuing to strike terrorist targets”, Nikolai Pankov said during a ceremony at the Syria base honoring the departing Russian pilots.
On Wednesday, a powerful Syrian Kurdish political party said it planned to declare a federal region in northern Syria, across the border from Turkey. “All this has produced a new momentum”, he said. Although Mr Jaafari insisted this was a decision taken jointly by Moscow and Damascus, she adds, all the signs are that President Bashar al-Assad was taken by surprise.
Stoltenberg says the consequences of the withdrawal are yet to be seen but that he “would welcome any action that reduces the military tensions in Syria”.
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The withdrawal announcement also triggered successive statements from the Syrian presidency and armed forces rejecting speculation the decision reflected a rift between the allies.
