Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reports that when asked if Russia has plans to build an air base in Syria, senior Russian military official Nikolai Bogdanovsky said there are no such plans right now.
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Reuters has previously reported on USA assessments that Russian Federation has sent about 200 naval infantry forces, battle tanks, artillery and other equipment to an airfield near Latakia, a stronghold of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Russia, which is building up a military presence in Syria, was quick to say that Moscow was also ready for talks with the United States.
Cook said that Carter “emphasized the importance of pursuing such consultations in parallel with diplomatic talks that would ensure a political transition in Syria“, referring the the ousting of President Assad.
Assad said there was no coordination between his government and the United States, even indirectly, apparently backing away from comments earlier this year suggesting there had been some contact.
Russian Federation has been sending about two military cargo flights a day to an air base at Latakia on the government-controlled Syrian coast, USA officials say. Kerry said it was important to forge a political agreement in Syria and end the hardship of Syrian people.
Defense officials said they weren’t certain how Russian Federation planned to use the jets, but noted that the Soviet planes are designed for air-to-air combat.
In his call with Lavrov on Tuesday, his third in 10 days, Kerry said he sought clarity about Moscow’s moves and warned that Russian support for Assad “risks exacerbating and extending the conflict”.
Putin has always been a staunch defender of Assad, despite continuing and credible claims that the Syrian president has used chemical weapons against his own people.
The United States has raised concerns about Russia’s presence in Syria. The US military acknowledged this week that only four or five of an initial class of some 60 U.S.-trained Syrian rebels were still on the battlefield, following a disastrous debut after they came under attack from al Qaeda’s Syria wing.
UN’s Syria pointman, after talks with Syrian foreign minister, said the meetings will continue.
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There is no question of Russian Federation joining the US-led coalition of mainly Western and Arab powers bombing the jihadists while it is still protecting its ally in Damascus.
