Russia ready to establish contacts with Free Syrian Army - foreign ministry

MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/. Russia is ready to establish contacts with the leaders of the free Syrian Army to discuss the possibility of involving it into the work on settling the crisis in Syria, Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. "In accordance with the position expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian side is ready to contribute to consolidating efforts of the Syrian army and Free Syrian Army in the fight against the Islamic State and other terrorist groups, including in the context of coordinating with actions of the Russian aviation," she said. "Upon the Russian president’s order, the Foreign Ministry informs our partners in countries with connections to the Free Syrian Army about the readiness of the Russian side to establish contacts with the leaders of this structure with the aim of discussing its possible involvement into work on creating conditions for launching a process of political settlement of the Syrian crisis by negotiations between the Syrian government and patriotic opposition," she stressed. "The Foreign Ministry will continue contacts will all sides of the Syrian opposition to help consolidate it on this platform," she added. Read more