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Moscow Prepared to Work with Washington against ‘Terrorism’ in Syria | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov greets his Jordanian counterpart Ayman al-Safadi in Moscow. (Reuters)


Moscow Prepared to Work with Washington against ‘Terrorism’ in Syria

by | Apr 30, 2017 | Middle East |

Moscow Prepared to Work with Washington against ‘Terrorism’ in Syria

Moscow – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed on Saturday the importance of exerting efforts to combat terrorism in Syria.

He said during talks with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman al-Safadi in Moscow that Russia is prepared to cooperate with the United States to “confront terrorism” in Syria.

This fight will include the efforts of the Russian air force and international coalition led by the US, explained the minister.

Lavrov hoped that Washington shared Moscow’s stance on eliminating terror.

Cooperation between the two sides is limited to military communication to avoid accidents during operations in the air and on the ground in Syria.

Moscow had during the term of former President Barack Obama proposed similar cooperation against terrorism in Syria, but the efforts failed due to disputes between the two countries over the conflict.

Hopes for cooperation were renewed with the election of Donald Trump as president, but they have hit a roadblock with Washington’s missile strike on Syria’s Shayrat airbase in wake of the chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun on April 4.

Lavrov also highlighted the importance of the talks with the Jordanian foreign minister seeing as they took place days before the resumption of negotiations between the Syrian opposition and regime in Astana.

Jordan is taking part as an observer in the talks that kick off on Wednesday.

The Russian minister stressed to al-Safadi the need to halt the fighting and achieve trust and agreement over humanitarian aid. He also emphasized the need to reach the necessary conditions to launch the political process.

At the end of the Russian-Jordanian summit, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the two ministers exchanged ideas on the situation in the Middle East, with emphasis on Syria.

They stressed their commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and unity of its territories.

There can be no substitute to the political settlement through comprehensive Syrian dialogue based on United Nations Security Council resolution 2254, added the statement.