Tillerson called the condition of military cooperation with Russia in Syria
MOSCOW, February 17 — RIA Novosti. U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson said about the impossibility of military cooperation between Washington and Moscow until Russia recognizes that “not all the Syrian opposition are terrorists”, reports Reuters, citing a diplomatic source.
Such statement the Minister made during negotiations with representatives of countries opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
In September last year, the United States and Russia agreed on a plan for Syria that included a cease-fire and coordination of operations between the military. A month later, Washington announced the termination of cooperation, leaving only military channels to prevent conflict in the air.
The Russian foreign Ministry linked the decision of the United States with their inability to fulfil their commitments, first and foremost, the issue of disengagement of terrorists and so-called moderate opposition.
In late January, Russia, Iran and Turkey as guarantors of a ceasefire in Syria agreed at talks in Astana on the establishment of a tripartite monitoring mechanism for the ceasefire. The three countries also reaffirmed their “intention to work together to combat the Islamic state and “Dzhebhat EN-Nusra” (a group banned in Russia — ed.) and to dissociate them from the factions of the Syrian armed opposition.
According to the Russian foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, at talks in Bonn Tillerson expressed his willingness to support the Astana process on the Syrian settlement.