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399685
Wed, 03/09/2016 - 09:55
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Russia satisfied with cooperation with US on Syria - deputy foreign minister

TEHRAN, March 8. /TASS/. Moscow is on the whole satisfied with its cooperation with the United States on Syria, the Russian and US militaries regularly exchange information, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told TASS Monday. "On the whole, we are satisfied with our cooperation. Naturally, its channels are being improved. It is a new thing for us," Bogdanov, who is the Russian president’s special envoy for the Middle East and Africa, said. "We offered that long ago, but our American partners used to have their doubts. Information exchange centers are currently operating in Geneva and in some countries of the region," he said. "Our militaries both in Moscow and Washington are actively communicating, exchanging information and working with maps. There also are certain technical means of tracking breaches and the situation in separate Syrian regions, including drones, space facilities as well as airborne track and surveillance means," Bogdanov said. He said the "system of control of the situation is working actively and is being improved." Asked whether the Americans are showing openness in those issues, the deputy foreign minister said: "I think all are interested in having a true picture of what’s going on to take proper and checked measures and act in a consolidated manner." Bogdanov also noted that Russia’s military are actively monitoring the process of implementation of ceasefire agreements. "Many local groupings in Syria are sending their applications and are joining the truce, there are tens of them, there are larger associations too," he said. "All this is tracked also in Geneva within the framework of the relevant task force, the team of the UN Secretary General’s special envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura is responsible for a great mission." "There are many specialists there, including officers of the Russian army, generals who also help him in that work, just like military representatives of other countries, including the United States," Bogdanov said. According to UN statistics, fighting between Syrian government troops and militants has killed over 220,000 people and displaced millions since its start in 2011. Gangs of militants making part of various armed formations, the most active of them being the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations, fight government troops. Russia’s Aerospace Forces started delivering pinpoint strikes in Syria at facilities of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations, which are banned in Russia, on September 30, 2015, on a request from Syrian President Bashar Assad. Targets of the Russian aircraft include terrorists’ gasoline tankers and oil refineries. Russia’s aircraft have made thousands of sorties since the start of the operation in Syria. Read more

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