Moscow’s goal was not to support Assad, but to save the Syrian state and defeat terrorist groups, a Russian analyst said.
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Moscow claimed that the latest Russian airstrikes destroyed more ISIS targets.
“When? As soon as possible”, he said.
“We put on hold all military to military cooperation following the onset of Russian aggression in Crimea, and that remains in effect”, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“Russia’s military intervention has dangerously exacerbated an already complex environment”, Anne Patterson, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
He did not say which opposition members might attend, but the invitation appeared to suggest a change in tone from Moscow, which has until now dismissed such groups.
“As we accelerate our own work with Turkey and other like-minded partners to roll back ISIL in northern Syria, a collateral benefit could be the creation of a space where Syrian civilians are free from Assad’s barrel bombs, as well as ISIL’s atrocities”, she said.
The U.S. & its allies involved in a separate air marketing crusade against the IS militants have accused Russia of primarily attacking moderate opposition fighters in a bid to prop up Assad’s regime since Russian forces started air strikes in Syria on September 30.
They agree on his staying in office, and that it is up to the Syrian people to elect their president, the official said.
“The Russian deployments can not be used to stiffen the Assad regime’s resistance to a political transition”.
Diplomatic efforts have stepped up in recent weeks to resolve Syria’s conflict, which has left more than 250,000 dead and forced millions from their homes since March 2011.
Bogdanov said the Syrian government has agreed to participate, but that it is unclear which opposition groups might come.
Last week, Austrian capital Vienna hosted a two-day global meeting on Syrian reconciliation.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that decisions must be made about who to consider terrorists and who should be deemed legitimate opposition groups in Syria before the next round of global talks on the country’s civil war.
De Mistura called on talks to continue immediately without preconditions, and said all of the Syrian opposition must be represented. “When? As soon as possible”.
Emboldened by the Russian air campaign, Syrian government troops, backed by an increasing number of Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian fighters, have been on the offensive on several fronts in an attempt to secure supply routes and regain control of strategic areas.
Advancing IS forces had managed to cut off the route at the end of October.
State TV said the road was now being demined and would reopen to traffic Thursday.
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Human rights groups have reported an upsurge in civilian deaths in rebel strongholds that are being pounded by Russian warplanes.
