Matthew Rycroft said the two definitions are hard, but planning is going ahead for the meeting of about 20 countries that have met twice in Vienna to try to launch a Syria peace process.
Advertisement
She told reporters: “The Russian Federation says that it is necessary to consider the scenario of preventing terrorist threats over Afghanistan very seriously”.
The tension with Russia has escalated after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane on November 24, and Moscow has imposed punitive measures against Ankara in response.
Russian Federation says the plane remained in Syrian airspace.
President Vladimir Putin eluded to the stance during an interview yesterday after the country’s Defence Minister confirmed the first ever cruise missiles strikes launched from a submarine in the Caspian Sea had successfully struck targets in Raqqa.
Moscow has sought, so far without success, to persuade nations in the US-led coalition that opposes Assad to work with its own forces flying a bombing campaign in Syria and with Damascus in a broader coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin was reminding the world in general, and Turkey in particular, that not only is Russia a nuclear power, but that the Kremlin has nuclear-capable missiles aboard a submarine stationed just off Turkey’s coastline.
Meanwhile Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi said on Monday that most of the oil produced in Daesh territory in Iraq and Syria was being smuggled through Turkey.
Turkey said it shot down the aircraft after it violated Turkey’s airspace for 17 seconds despite repeated warnings.
“They want to expel, they want to ethnically cleanse this area so that regime and Russian bases in Latakia and Tartus are protected”, he said.
Appearing on television with the orange metal box from the Su-24, President Putin said the recorder it contained would help prove the Russian jet’s flight path and position.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Kremlin said Mr Putin had discussed the conflict in Syria with Mr Cameron.
Both Moscow and Ankara have repeatedly accused the other of helping IS.
Speaking Wednesday at a televised press conference in Moscow, Medvedev said by launching the air force operation on September 30, the defense ministry did not go over its planned budget.
Advertisement
Cameron’s office struck a similar note, saying Cameron called Putin to update him on Britain’s Syria campaign.
